How many toes is a normal cat supposed to have? And how many does a 'mitten toed cat' have?

Question

My cat had a littler of five about two weeks ago (or maybe more). Now, all five kittens' eyes are open, they are walking and all look healthy. But about an hour ago I was with them in the barn and looking at their paws. Something didn't seem right. So after looking at the Unlce and mother of the kittens' paws I realized all of the kittens had five or six toes on each foot and the uncle and mother only had four and a dew claw. So how many toes does a typical barn cat have on each paw (not counting the dew claw) and what would've cause the extra toe? Or is it just a freak thing?
Also, does anyone know how many toes a 'mitten toed cat' has? Thanks Alot!

Answer 1

You have a rare and special breed of cats known as mitt cats. They have 6 toes. I seen one of these cats for the first time last week and feel in love! You can see all kinds of these cats at this website dedicated to these beautiful creatures

http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm

I visited my BF in West Virginia last week (in live in KY) and we had the opporunity to visit a woman who owned 2 six toed cats (I am a cat rescuer). Although these little kittys were ferell.. they were absolutely adorable.

Evidently this trait was passed on by your cats as a recessive gene. My dad has several cats born without tails (bobcats). The mother of a few has a long tail, but gives birth to kittens with long tails. Every once and awile a bobtail will be born. They are also cute as buttons.. imagine one of your six-toed cats breed with a bobtail... we would have the most unusual kittens :) But I firmly believe in spay and neutering.... so have your little ones fixed as soon as possible - it is healthier on them in the long run and will help you take better care of your lovely cats by providing individual attention. Good Luck!

Answer 2

It's actually polydactyl, having more than the normal number of digits (toes that is). There's nothing bad about it. I think it's adorable. Cats have 5 toes normally on their front toes. It's not common, but not really rare, for them to have more. Back paws have 4 normally and don't have the extras as often as front paws do. Hemingway's first poly is said to have had 6 toes, so some people call cats with 6 on both front paws "True Hemingways." It's really just an interesting historically based nickname for any polydactyl.
As far as I know, mitten toed can refer to any poly, just like Hemingway can. Probably because with the extra toes, their paws look kind of rounded like mittens, often with a toe off to the side because it ran out of room, like the thumb on a mitten.
(Discount spay/neuter for catch & release barn cats, anyone?)
I love their little feet. The extra toes are so cute!

Answer 3

Extra Toes On Cats

Answer 4

Four toes are normal... but having more than that is not uncommon.

The condition is called paradactyl. Hemingway had paradactyl cats on his estate in Florida. The estate is owned by the state now is run as a monument to Hemingway. There are still descendant cats of the original ones that Hemingway had. They all are paradactyl. It's a genetic trait.

Actually I think it's kind of neat.

Answer 5

My cat had kittens once too, and one of the babies had six toes on her front paws, and five on the back paws. Normally, cats are supposed to have five toes in the front, and four in the back. I still have the kitten today, and it has not inconvenienced her at all. Don't worry-it's nothing bad.

Sincerely,
me

P.S. I've never heard of a "mitten toed cat." : )

Answer 6

Cat Toes

Answer 7

Usually 5
Hemingway cats have 6 or more.
# of toes is genetically a dominent trait

Answer 8

A normal cat has 4 paws excluding the dew claw

Answer 9

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/avZgi

Yes it is very normal!!!! Polydactyl Cat For the people who say it is not normal it is!!!! People can be very rude!!! Forget them!!!! Trust me it is normal just look up Polydactyl Cat!!! I have saw and heard of this way WAY before you asked this question.

Answer 10

Cats can have up to 8 toes on each foot. Don't you think it's time to stop the reproduction and get some cats spayed and neutered!!!!
The extra toes are just a recessive and common gene.

Any nimrod that thinks this is "rare" had never been to a shelter. O work at a cat shelter and at least one in six cats that come through the shelter has extra toes. It does not make them a breed or rare. It is a recessive gene that is quite common. Search "petfinder" and you will see dozens of cats being offered for adoption that have extra toes.