Natural phenomenon: why cats have 4 toes on their hind legs and 5 on their front legs (is this normal)

Different number of fingers

Normally, a cat should have five toes on its front paws and four on its back paws. But it happens that there are six or even more of them. This is already a deviation from the norm called polydactyly. This is a genetic mutation, but it seems to help cats. They use extra fingers to improve dexterity. But normally, a cat has 5 fingers in front, 4 of which have pads, and one is located slightly to the side and does not have a pad.

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The structure of a cat's paws

Thanks to its unique structure, the cat's gait seems to literally dance. These pets do not step on their heels at all when walking and rest on the floor only with their toes, the claws of which are securely hidden in special cases. Also, between the toes there is coarser hair than throughout the cat’s body, which allows you to reliably protect the limbs from various injuries.

Abnormalities of cat paws

Cat paws are perfection planned by nature, which certainly deserves special attention. Thanks to their unique joints and joints, cats are able to move gracefully, run fast and jump high. Among the entire mammal world, only cats have such special motor reactions.

Don't neglect your fingers, which have incredible flexibility. Each finger is capable of living its own life: it moves, bends and unbends independently of the others, which helps the animal find balance even in the most unpredictable places and hold firmly on uneven and slippery surfaces.

The structure of a cat's paws

For your information! All cats are pacers. By moving their right paws at the same time and then their left, they quite intelligently confuse their tracks, which helps them hide from predators.

Cats sweat through their paws

People often have sweaty palms during times of stress or just ordinary excitement. But few people know that purrs are also distinguished by their sweaty paw pads. They only sweat through them; this is the only place where they have sweat glands. This is how cats protect themselves from overheating and generally regulate their temperature. The paws should be clean and not covered with any socks or slippers (some owners like to dress their pets in them).

How to care for cat paws

All representatives of the cat family carefully protect their paws, because the number of paws a cat has, the number of problems it can cause. Therefore, one of the main tasks of owners is to protect their pet’s limbs as much as possible, namely:

• periodically inspect the paws;
• in case of skin injuries on pillows and fingers, it is necessary to wash and treat the wounds;
• control the growth and condition of the claws;
• If the cat does not grind its claws down on its own, you need to give it a manicure using special scissors.

If you follow these recommendations, your cat's paws will grow healthy and will not cause discomfort to your pet.

Cats walk on tiptoes

Although we think of cats' paws as feet, they are more like human toes. In all cats, the feet are located higher - under the bend of the leg. Take a closer look and you will understand everything. Cats have evolved over many millennia to learn to walk this way. This gave them an advantage in helping them survive. On tiptoe they walk much quieter and faster, which is why they have no equal in hunting and running when it comes to attacking someone dangerous.

Polydactyly in cats

We have already mentioned above that there are situations when there are more than 5 fingers on a person’s limbs. This anomaly is called polydactyly. Moreover, for example, the hand may contain both fully developed extra fingers and rudimentary, defective ones. Polydactyly also occurs in cats, when there are extra fingers on one, two, three, or all four limbs at once (even if the animal has at least one more finger than it should have normally, we can safely talk about polydactyly). By the way, unlike people, who have polyfingered fingers and feet with equal frequency, cats most often have extra fingers only on their front paws.

What are the causes of polydactylism in animals

? It's all about heredity: if either a cat or a female cat has the polydactyly gene, then with a high degree of probability (50%) at least one of their kittens will have extra toes.

How many toes can a cat with polydactyly have?

Usually 6 or 7, rarely 8. Let us remember that additional toes can be present on one foot or on all four. The maximum total number of fingers in a polydactic cat was recorded back in 1974: the animal had as many as 32 fingers instead of the usual 18!

In the old days, if a cat had more fingers than normal, people treated this fact differently:

• Norwegian sailors believed that it was polydacte cats that were much better than ordinary purrs at catching rodents on a ship. In addition, it was believed that such animals promised good luck to everyone on board, and also protected from storms and bad weather;
• In the 1750s in Europe they believed that cats with many toes were accomplices of witches. Often, innocent animals were burned along with sorcerers and witches (many of whom, like cats, were innocent);
• In the USA, for a long time, there has been a belief that stroking a many-toed cat is good luck;
• The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, and the American writer Ernest Hemingway had cats with abnormal limb structure. And the owners doted on their unusual tailed friends.

What to do if your cat has polydactyly

Surely every owner who notices an extra finger on their cat will want to find out whether polydactyly is dangerous. We hasten to reassure you: in the vast majority of cases, additional fingers do not interfere, and even help the animal:

• Walk comfortably on freshly fallen snow;
• Swim (provided that the pet is not afraid of water);
• Climb up trees;
• Descend from heights and jump;
• Successfully catch rodents;
• Open door and window handles;
• And even steal food from the table (although this ability is unlikely to please any owner).

It can be noted that polydactic cats look cute and funny due to their non-standard large paws. But it also happens that accessory fingers cause harm and pain to cats. Improper formation of the toes sometimes leads to the ingrowth of the claw into the soft flesh of the paw. It also happens that the extra toes are too long, so that when walking the animal constantly injures them and cannot fully walk or run. And in some situations in animals with polydactyly, the joints and bones of the limbs suffer. Therefore, if the anomaly causes inconvenience, it is better to remove additional fingers from kittens at an early age. Or at least you should not be lazy and get advice from a veterinarian on this matter. But still, in most cases, polydactic cats are absolutely healthy pets. And they do not require any treatment.

Cats with 6 toes

The phenomenon of polydactyly is called polydactyly. In addition to cats, this phenomenon is observed in dogs, horses and people - at birth, extra fingers or small processes that are not fully formed are found. A person, of course, tries to get rid of such a genetic anomaly, but in animals it remains for life.

There are only two types of paws in six-toed cats:

1. Glove - an additional finger grows on the paw, fully or partially formed. In any case, he is separate from the others.
2. Mitten - the fingers grow together and form one wide process.

Six-toed cats are a conditional definition. The fact is that the number of processes can be large. An ordinary cat has 18 toes on 4 legs (5 on the front and 4 on the back), but a polydact can have up to 24 of them. A 28-fingered champion was even registered in the Guinness Book of Records.

Until the middle of the last century, experts believed that six-toed cats were dangerous for purebred breeds, so they were discarded from breeding programs. The animals were later rehabilitated. Scientists have proven that the autosomal dominant gene that causes polydactyly does not pose a threat to the health of future offspring, and the presence of the trait is due to an uncontrolled natural mutation.

This is interesting! Six-toed animals have many popular nicknames. They are called boxers, mitten cats, and even Ham's (Ernest Hemingway) cats. The latter applies most of all to one single breed - the giant American Maine Coon, the representatives of which lived with the great writer and still live in his house-museum.

Origin and breeds of six-toed cats

When six-toed cats are mentioned, they most often mean the Maine Coon breed. It is here that the largest number of polydacts is observed, and the presence of additional fingers was recorded a century and a half ago. In the 19th century, it was the multi-toed Manx cats that were considered completely normal. The breed became native to the North American region, developed for a long time in one geographic enclave, and therefore six-toed dogs quickly spread throughout the population.

Polydacts of the Maine Coon breed traditionally live along the Atlantic coast of the United States, and on the other side of the ocean they are found in France, Portugal and the British county of Wales. It was at these ports that merchant ships arrived, where cats were constant members of the crew.

The experiments of American breeders were also not without the participation of polydacts. This is especially noticeable in the Pixie Bob breed. Its ancestors were domestic cats and wild forest cats living in the USA and Canada. The goal was to get an animal with a predatory spotted coat and an easy-going character. Luck smiled on the breeders only in the 80s, when the first offspring of short-tailed elves appeared. It is not known from which parent they inherited the six-fingered gene, but polydacty in this breed does not bother anyone.

In Europe, six-toed cat breeds are not welcome. In the States, polydactic Maine Coons take part in breeding, but on the Old Continent they are still treated with prejudice. There are even two lines - American and European - that take different approaches to evaluating representatives of the Maine Coon breed.

American Shorthair polydact cats are very rare, so they do not have a serious influence on the examination. And only the pixie-bob breed is calmly accepted on both sides of the Atlantic, and their right to extra fingers is enshrined in the standard.

Advantages and disadvantages of six-toed cats

Experts do not provide official data on the differences between six-toed and regular cats among representatives of the same breed. Only the opinions of owners who have something to compare with illustrate small changes in the character, habits and behavior of animals.

Six-toed cats are considered more adapted to living in the wild. Their wide paw does not sink into the snow and provides a large area of ​​support when moving through sticky mud or in marshy areas. This may be true during the formation period of the aboriginal breed, but for domestic cats it is a completely useless skill.

Negative qualities traditionally relate to the area of ​​health. They are more reasoned, although serious problems are possible only with improper maintenance and lack of veterinary support:

1. Diseases of the joints and deformities of the limbs that develop as a result of gross mistakes by breeders.
2. Ingrown toenails occur when an extra toe does not reach the surface and is not worn down naturally. Therefore, your cat needs to have its claws trimmed regularly.

How to determine the breed of a kitten

It is extremely difficult to independently determine the breed of a kitten , since the distinctive features at this age are poorly expressed. In addition, the characteristics of babies may change as they grow older. For example, fold-eared kittens have erect ears at birth, which droop after a few months.

Experts advise paying attention to the constitution of the body, the structure, length and color of the coat, the color of the iris, and the shape of the ears . If you have a munchkin in front of you, the baby’s legs will be short. If this is a small Canadian Sphynx, then its skin will be bare. And in the Ukrainian Levkoy the whiskers will be curled even with partial presence of hair.

Russian Blues and British Blues are similar in color and coat structure, but have differences in body structure. British cats are heavyset and large, Russian blue cats are more graceful and elongated.

Important! Even if a kitten fully complies with the breed standard, without supporting documents it is considered out of breed.

Digestive and excretory systems

The digestive system regulates the process of eating, absorbing nutrients and eliminating undigested residues.

The organs of the digestive system are involved in the process of digesting food

The digestion cycle is carried out per day. This process involves:

• oral cavity;
• pharynx;
• esophagus;
• stomach - the pH environment in the stomach is more acidic than in humans, which allows it to digest rough food and fight bacteria in the food;
• small intestine, in cats it is short and does not allow carbohydrates to be digested well;
• colon;
• liver;
• kidneys

The process of digestion begins in the mouth as soon as food enters it. The salivary gland softens hard food, facilitating its passage into the stomach and esophagus.

The process of digesting food begins in the mouth

Under the influence of saliva, food begins to break down in the mouth. The complete food processing process takes place in 4 stages:

1. The fundus of the stomach contracts, pushing the contents toward the pylorus.
2. The contents of the stomach enter the duodenum in the following order: liquid, carbohydrates, proteins, fats.
3. Food passes through the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed.
4. Food debris enters the large intestine, and feces are formed and excreted.

A cat's stomach is constantly active. The cat usually eats often, but little by little (10–16 times).

Possible anomalies

Gene mutations are characteristic of all multicellular organisms, and they are also found among cats. An abnormal number of toes can occur in both male and female cats. This genetic disorder is inherited. If at least one of the parents is polydactic, then the probability of having multi-fingered offspring is very high. “Extra” toes can be on one kitten’s paw, on several, or on all four at once.

Even if there is only one “extra” toe on one leg, then this is definitely nothing more than a manifestation of the polydactyly gene. This structural feature is not considered a genetic deformity, does not affect health, and does not bring any discomfort to the animals. The only negative is that such animals cannot participate in exhibitions due to non-compliance with exhibition standards, which no one will regret if the cat is healthy, energetic and beautiful. When examining newborn kittens and discovering a “special” kitten, it is recommended to contact a felinologist and find out the prognosis for the development of the animal with the identified anomaly.

Many owners of polydacts note increased intelligence in their pets, even compare it with human intelligence and claim that cats have a special relationship with each family member and an understanding close to telepathy. Theodore Roosevelt had a multi-toed cat for a long time, in which the president “doted on” and often allowed him to attend official receptions, and in the president’s close circle they jokingly said that the cat brought good luck to the White House. However, people who are prone to prejudice and believe in mysticism should not have multi-toed cats. In fact, this feature is nothing more than a peculiar appearance.

In addition to polydactyly, there is a mutation called hypodactyly, when a kitten's paws are missing toes. Unlike polydactyly, this is a serious illness, which is usually accompanied by congenital pathology of the liver and urinary tract.

Animals cannot fully move, run, jump, or cope with natural needs. Such kittens rarely survive to adulthood and constantly endure physical torture. Unfortunately, life consists not only of touching admiration of furry pets. Having discovered a kitten with hypodactyly in the litter and having received comprehensive consultation from a specialist, you will have to make a difficult decision and euthanize the sufferer - this is more humane than dooming him to an unbearable existence.

The importance of maintaining healthy nails

It is important to maintain your pet’s claws in good condition, as a lot depends on it. If you don’t want your pet to spoil carpets and furniture, be sure to purchase a scratching post. This simple device can save you a lot of nerves.

In the simplest case, you can make a homemade “sharpener” by taking a small piece of wood and wrapping it tightly with rope. Why are claws so important for an animal’s health? If they grow too large, the pet will experience severe pain. Because of this, the cat will become less active, lose its appetite, and become exhausted.

Paw care

Sometimes cats seem to us to be very independent animals. But they need the help of their owners to care for their paws. Paw care consists of regular nail trimming, massage and hygiene. Nail trimming

Accustom your kitten to the procedure of claw trimming from an early age. To prevent the animal from being scared, they massage its paws: this way it gets used to being touched. Claws need to be trimmed every 10-14 days.

Claws are trimmed in two stages:

1. Gently press the pad so that the cat releases its claw.
2. Using a nail clipper, trim the white part of the nail to the bend.

When trimming nails, be careful not to damage the nerve endings.

Trimming claws requires attentiveness and accuracy from the owner. When trimming, it is easy to hit blood vessels, so do not cut the nails at the root.

Before the procedure, prepare potassium permanganate powder (potassium permanganate). In case of bleeding, apply the powder on a cotton swab to the claw. The blood will stop quickly.

Regular scissors will not work on cat claws.

Even with regular trimming, your cat's nails need to be sharpened. This way she removes the dead nail box so that the nails remain smooth and shiny. So install a scratching post for your furry friend at home.

Diagnostics

The very first test when diagnosing renal failure is a biochemical blood test. It detects pathology even in the complete absence of clinical signs

Research is especially important for chronic renal failure. The test measures creatinine and nitrogenous bases, urea, potassium and phosphorus

Stages of chronic renal failure according to creatinine level:

1. Less than 140 ml/mol is normal; only a urine test is indicative.
2. Up to 250 ml/mol – weak stage
3. Up to 440 ml/mol – moderate.
4. The strong stage has creatinine levels above 440 ml/mol.

A general blood test will reveal the development of anemia and an increased number of leukocytes.

It is also important to collect a urine test. In case of insufficiency, a significant increase in protein, red blood cells, and pus may be observed (if the process is complicated by infection)

To study obstruction of the renal pelvis and ureter, a contrast agent is injected before performing pyelography

A little history

In former times, the phenomenon of polydactyly was especially often observed in Maine Coons. Almost half of the animals of this breed had an additional number of fingers. Local residents believed that this feature helps Maine Coons not to fall into the snow and deftly catch fish.

Breeding cats with many toes is currently discouraged. Only in the Netherlands and Belgium can you still find Polydact Maine Coons, where they are bred for experimental purposes. Most breeders do not encourage such experiments, which can lead to the appearance of individuals with too many toes: for example, in 1974, a cat was born with thirty-two toes.

According to some researchers, cats with an abnormal number of toes came to North America in the 17th century. Other scientists believe that a similar phenomenon could be observed in local cats.

Be that as it may, cats with paws like small mittens, along with sailors, plied the oceans on ships of the American merchant fleet. Here they were considered animals that brought good luck and happiness. According to legends, large paws equipped with a large number of toes help them stay in place during severe storms, and it is much more convenient to catch mice with such paws.

In the United States of America, polydact cats are also called “Hemingway cats” in memory of the famous writer Ernest Hemingway and his favorite polydact, whose name was Snowball. Theodore Roosevelt had a similar cat - the first polydact, which brought good luck to White

Home.

Multi-toed celebrity cats

History says that some famous people were also owners of polydact cats, among them:

• Captain Gray was the owner of an orange cat named Lizzie, who mercilessly destroyed unwanted rodents on the ship, which periodically made raids in New England;
• a six-toed cat named Snowball was the pet of the famous American writer E. Hemingway;
• US President T. Roosevelt had a cat called Slippers for many years, who regularly accompanied his owner to various events.

E. Hemingway and his cat

Thus, in nature there are often special cats that have many more toes than normal paws. Polydactyl cats are distinguished by their attractiveness and unusualness, thanks to which they have earned the special attention of many ordinary and famous people.

How to diagnose and treat the disease correctly

There are no difficulties in making a diagnosis. The veterinarian will notice an unusual paw structure during the initial physical examination. All that remains is to take an x-ray, establish the type of polydactyly and assess how much the extra fingers interfere with the animal’s normal existence and movement.

If your pet is limping, there are signs of infection, or the nails are not growing properly, surgery to remove the excess phalanges is recommended. The operation is performed under general anesthesia. Hospitalization is not required, the cat is sent home, antibiotics and painkillers are prescribed, and a protective collar is put on to prevent stitches from licking.

The recovery period lasts 2-3 weeks. Usually, after the stitches are removed, the operation site begins to heal and after a year it is almost impossible to notice that the cat had “mittens.”

If you are a breeder and notice signs of polydactyly in newborn kittens, it is worth reviewing the principles of selection and removing from breeding the couple that has such babies. For sterilization (castration) and advice on raising kittens with abnormalities, call the RosVet VC, 24 hours a day. If necessary, you can call a specialist to your home; appointments at the clinic are available 24 hours a day.

Polydactyly and health

According to available information, polydactyly does not lead to serious health problems in pets, however, according to the testimony of felinologists:

• polydactyl kittens begin to walk somewhat later than their “normal” littermates, since it is more difficult for them to cope with the peculiarity of the musculoskeletal system;
• Multi-toed cats have heavier and wider bones, leading to increased body weight and increased stress on the heart and joints;
• with a large number of additional fingers and significant “branchiness” of such a structure, a pathological redistribution of the load on the limb occurs during support and movement;
• the operation to remove dewclaws is very complicated;
• an uncontrolled free claw can be dangerous.

How to determine cat breed by size

Pedigree cats are divided into 2 groups based on their body type.:

1. Animals with a large, rounded head , a flattened nose and a stocky body. This is the body structure of Persians and exotics.
2. Animals with a wedge-shaped head , an elongated and oblong muzzle, a long graceful body and limbs. Angora, Siamese, Balinese, longhair and oriental shorthair cats fit these characteristics.

As for the weight of purebred cats, it varies from 2 to 20 kg . The body length is 40-80 cm.

Big cats

List of giant cats:

• Ashera;
• British;
• Egyptian Mau;
• Kurilian and American bobtails;
• Maine Coon;
• Norwegian Forest Cat;
• pixie bob;
• ragamuffin;
• ragdoll;
• Siberian;
• Turkish van;
• chausie;
• chito;
• Chartreuse.

Asherah

Little cats

List of miniature breeds:

• bambino;
• Dwelf;
• Kinkaloe;
• lambkin;
• munchkin;
• minuet;
• minskin;
• Singapore;
• skookum.

Lambkin

How many fingers does a British cat have? British Shorthair: Questions and Answers

Sofia Krasnoselskaya, WCF expert on all breeds of the international category, head of the Sweet Way British Shorthair cattery, answers your questions.

Dear cat owners and kitten buyers! It is important:

1. A kitten up to 2-2.5 months should not leave its mother’s house! Buy a kitten from a clean home, with deworming done (that is, when the kitten was given an anthelmintic drug), with vaccinations and documents (veterinary passport and birth certificate or pedigree from the club). Only in this case can you be relatively calm about the health of your pet. The normal age for buying a kitten is 2.5 months or more.
2. Before asking your question, look for a similar question and its answer in previous posts.
3. All questions about the health of your pets should be directed to the vet. section Remember that sometimes it is very difficult to give an answer about diagnosis and treatment in absentia.

Experts may not answer your questions: - about the health of the kitten, if you took it from its mother prematurely, unvaccinated and without documents; - about how to feed the kitten, how much it should weigh and other questions to which answers have been given repeatedly.

Functions of claws

Many people don't risk much interaction with this small predator. The cat's soft paws conceal razor-sharp claws. At every opportunity, she makes sure to release them. The purpose of a cat's claws is to protect itself from enemies and all sorts of enemies in the wild. A person’s home is a safe space, so the animal does not need to protect itself every minute with sharp scratches

However, pay attention to how jealously the cat guards its territory! She will not allow a random stranger to settle nearby

Claws are as necessary for a little fluffy creature as having a roof over your head for a person. Only by possessing this unrivaled weapon can an animal truly feel confident. Cats that for some reason lack claws (as a result of injury, accident or abuse) evoke considerable sympathy. They do not have the ability to defend themselves and remain completely helpless in the face of the onslaught of external circumstances. This is why owners are not recommended to completely remove their pet’s claws. First of all, you should think about the animal: will it be comfortable to exist without claws? A person will never be able to take full responsibility for the life of his four-legged friend. By depriving an animal of “scratches,” you forever make it inferior.