NASA cats are a thing!

03 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Animals, Cats, Humor

Tags

Ames Cat Network, California, cats, Cloud-Aerosol Transport System, Dewey, Elizabeth Fais, Feral Cats, Hemingway cats, Max the library cat, Moffett field, Mountain View, NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, outer space, Palo Alto Humane Society, polydactyl, space, space program, TNR

Cats have sailed the seven seas (like Hemingway’s polydactyl cats), managed libraries (Dewey and Max the library cat), and supervised the United States Postal System (USPS). So why not NASA? There are theories that cats came from outer space. Which seems highly unlikely, if only for lack of kitty treats. But with cats, nothing is ever what’s likely.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

And…they have cats! Why am I surprised?

The CATS space program

NASA created a Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) that launched in 2014. CATS is a remote sensing instrument to provide range-resolved profile measurements of atmospheric aerosols and clouds from the International Space Station (ISS). In simple English, it’s technology that interprets (and helps us predict) the weather.

Does anyone else smell something fishy about all this? The CATS program could quite possibly be the brain child of ingenious interstellar felines. After all, cats are extremely finicky about exposure to rain, sleet, and snow!

cat-in-rain

Here’s the official NASA CATS brochure. Though, it might have been humanized, so we won’t realize just how in control felines are of NASA…and the world.

The REAL NASA cats & the Ames Cat Network

There are plenty of real cats roaming the grounds of NASA, at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California. Sadly, many were abandoned without even being fixed. Left to reproduce uncontrolled, the cat population boomed.

The kind folks at NASA partnered with the Palo Alto Humane Society to trap, spay and neuter, and find homes for these cats in need. The Ames Cat Network was created, and each cat is tested, altered, and inoculated before being offered for adoption.

If you or someone you know in the San Francisco area is interested in fostering or adopting a NASA cat, please contact the Palo Alto Humane Society at 650.424.1901.

Other organizations in the San Francisco Bay area that help homeless animals, and have many wonderful pets available for adoption:

Humane Society of Silicon Valley: 408.262.2133
Peninsula Humane Society: 650.340.7022
San Francisco SPCA: 415.554.3000

Undercover Cats: The TRUTH about Disneyland’s Secret Cast Members

07 Sunday Jan 2018

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Animals, Cats, Disneyland

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@DisneylandCats, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Becky, cats, Cats of Disneyland, Disneyland, Disneyland California Adventure, Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Resort, Elizabeth Fais, Feline Friends Network, Feral Cats, Francisco, Frontierland, Grand Californian Hotel, Ned, Pixar, Rancho del Zocalo, Stanford Cat Network, Taylor Roberts, The Happiest Place on Earth, TNR, Trap Neuter Return

The cats are out of the bag. And to think it happened in Fantasyland… There’s more to their covert kitty fluff than gratuitous sass and snark, though. Disneyland cats are working cats-members that provide a valuable function in the Happiest Place on Earth.

Covert Kitties Turned Social Media Mavens

Several years ago Taylor Roberts, a freelance writer, glimpsed a cat darting across a path in Fantasyland and snapped a picture.

That night he started the Cats of Disneyland Twitter account with tweets voiced by the witty cats. A web site soon followed: Cats of Disneyland.

With Roberts’ dry humor combined with photos of the covert cats, Disneyland’s secret cats-members skyrocketed to social media stardom. Articles about Disneyland cats were featured in the Los Angeles Times and KTLA. Blog posts were written about them, like my 2015 post, The Cats Behind the Mouse. (Giovanni, Disneyland California Adventure, PC:Elizabeth Fais)

NOTE: Taylor Roberts started the Disneyland Cats accounts on Twitter and Instagram, but it now appears those accounts were taken over by someone else. It’s not uncommon for popular accounts to be purchased and transferred to new owners.

In a theme park inspired by the world’s most famous mouse, it’s the cats of Disneyland who have the run of the place. —Los Angeles Times

As Becky so proudly flaunts, atop the roof of the Mexican eatery in Frontierland, Rancho del Zocalo (PC:Elizabeth Fais).

All the media hype continued to keep the cats’ indisputable value to the daily operation of the Park a secret, though.

Cats-members with a Cause

Disney parks pride themselves in cleanliness. So it’s a little embarrassing that cats are necessary for the Disney “Mouse” squeaky clean image. In truth, the cats play an important role in keeping rats and other vermin out of the Park.

Disneyland’s cats have been behind-the-scenes cast members since the Park opened in 1955, infiltrating the grounds from the surrounding orange groves of the time.

The cats at Disneyland are feral, which means they are happy living and hunting outdoors, and prefer to stay away from people.

I became interested in the cat population at Disneyland, because of the work I do with feral cats in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve made several trips to Disneyland to research the cats. On one trip, I talked with the manager of the feral cat program and here’s what I learned:

Approximately 200 cats live at the Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland California Adventure, the Disneyland Hotel, and the Grand Californian Hotel.
The cats have been trapped, spay or neutered, and then released (TNR) back into the park. This is the proven, humane method for managing feral cat populations. For more information, read about Stanford campus’ Feline Friends Network.
There are feeding stations for the cats “back stage” to supplement their diet and keep them healthy.(PCs:Elizabeth Fais, Ned, at the Disneyland Hotel)
They’ve implemented an ingenious flea management program that is low-stress for the cats and highly effective.
The cats are given medical care and attention, as needed. This ensures healthy, long lives for each of the cats.
When a cat becomes too friendly with Park guests, they are given a home with a devoted Park employee.
Feeding and petting the cats is discouraged at all times. Disneyland cats are wild animals, and must be treated with respect and caution.
The best times to get a glimpse the cats are early in the morning (early admission, if possible), or around sunset. Feral cats are nocturnal, and usually sleep out of sight during the day.
Ask cast members for tips on where the cats hang out. The evening crew seemed to know the most when I asked, as that’s when the cats are most active.

Disneyland Cats: Unsung Heroes!

Something must be done…I mean sung! The “underdog story” is popular in the Disney Classics library. It’s time to break old boundaries and blaze new trails. We need an “undercat story” accompanied with terrific songs. Of course!

Disneyland Cats
~
The Musical

Are you listening Andrew Lloyd Webber,
Pixar &
Disney Animation Studios?

Francisco’s already to auditioning!

(PC: Elizabeth Fais, Francisco, Disneyland California Adventure)

Mark Twain and the Kitten that Played Pool

16 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Animals, Cats, Writing

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A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Albert Biglow Paine, cats, Connecticut, Hartford, Huckleberry Finn, kitten, Mark Twain, Mark Twain House, Nook Farm, Puddn'head Wilson, Roughing It, Samuel Clemens, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Innocents Abroad, Tom Sawyer, writer's life, Writing

Twain’s softer side

The name Mark Twain is synonymous with Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn—rough and tumble boys full of adventure, daring pranksters who were afraid of nothing.

In many ways, the characters an author creates are their reflection. But like Hemingway, Mark Twain had a softer side he hid from the world.

Like so many creative people, Mark Twain was sensitive and more than a little reclusive. People who knew him said he was most comfortable around animals, with a particular love of cats. According the Mark Twain’s daughter, Suzy…

The difference between papa and mama is that mama loves morals and papa loves cats.

Twain loved cats so much he had up to 19 living in his house at one time, according to one source. And that was just at his Connecticut home.

Mark Twain biographer, Albert Biglow Paine, revealed that Mark Twain even traveled with cats. Once on his travels, he missed his cats so much he rented a few local kittens for the summer. “He didn’t wish to own them, for then he would have to leave them behind uncared for,” Paine explained, “so he preferred to rent them and pay sufficiently to ensure their subsequent care.”

The kitten that played pool

It’s odd to think that an author as accomplished as Mark Twain suffered from nervousness about his writing. But he did. His cats helped calm him, as did playing billiards. Amazingly enough, there was one special kitten who did double duty by playing pool with Twain. For real. I am not making this up.

When Twain took a break from his writing to blow off nervous energy, he’d pick up the kitten and tuck him into one of the pockets of the billiard table and the game began. The kitten swiped at the balls as they darted by, amusing Twain to no end. Rejuvenated by the kitten’s antics, Twain could then return to his writing.

Twain’s love of animals lives on

Generations of cats have called Nook Farm home—the famous author’s house in Hartford, Connecticut. Dozens of cats still live on the grounds of The Mark Twain House & Museum today, much as they did during the famous author’s lifetime.

When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction. ~ Mark Twain

Many of the staff members at The Mark Twain House are proud owners of Nook Farm cats, continuing Twain’s legacy.

Mark Twain’s love of cats lives on in his writing, as well. Cats stalk, slink, pad, and play their way through many of his best-known books, including The Innocents Aboard, Roughing It, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and Puddn’head Wilson. If that’s not reason enough to read Twain, I don’t know what is. But I’m a hopeless animal lover too. What can i say?

It’s Hard to Be a (Grumpy) Cat at Christmas!

12 Monday Dec 2016

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Animals, Cats, Giving Back

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Colonel Meow, Costco, Elizabeth Fais, Friskies, Giving Back, Google Express, Grumpy Cat, Hamilton the Hipster Cat, Holiday Spirit, HSSV, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Humane Society SV, Klaus, Nala Cat, Oskar the Blind Cat, Random Acts of Kindness, Tardar Sauce

Grumpy…For the good of all cat-kind

A couple of years ago Grumpy Cat, Oskar the Blind Cat, Nala Cat, Colonel Meow, and Hamilton the Hipster Cat starred in the following video that helped to feed over 500,000 homeless cats. While the view-and-feed-homeless-cats offer for the video is long past, the sentiment of helping those less fortunate still rings true. Especially at this time of year.

You don’t have to sponsor thousands of meals to feed homeless animals in order to make a HUGE difference.

Kindness Comes in Many Flavors

Grumpy Cat and I both have a soft spot in our hearts for animals that have been left to fend for themselves under harsh conditions. Here’s a few things you can do in your local community that will make a significant impact in the quality of life for homeless animals:

Donate a bag of cat/dog food to your local Humane Society or animal shelter. Sometimes there are even “donation” bins at local pet food stores for local shelters and rescue organizations.
Give those old towels you were about to throw away to your local animal shelter. They always need towels and other types of bedding material.
Shelters always need disinfectant cleaners, bleach, newspapers, and paper towels. Next time you’re out shopping, buy extra to donate to your local shelter.

If you don’t have time to shop and deliver goods to your local shelter and know your way around the internet, you can shop the discount stores, like Costco, and have the items delivered for a small fee.

Donate your time. Shelters need volunteers in all capacities.
Best of all, open your heart and home to a homeless or rescue animal. They will return the love one hundred-fold.

It’s Hard to Be a Cat at Christmas

Grumpy Cat Helps #GiveFriskies to Cats in Need

02 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Animals, Cats, Holiday, Inspiration

≈ 2 Comments

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#GiveFriskies, Christmas, Colonel Meow, Elizabeth Fais, Friskies, Grumpy Cat, Hamilton the Hipster Cat, Hard to Be a Cat at Christmas, Holidays, If You Feed Me, MJ Wright, Nala Cat, Oskar the Blind Cat, Random Acts of Kindness, Tardar Sauce

Grumpy … with a Heart of Gold

Once again, Grumpy Cat (Tardar Sauce) has stepped up to help cats who are far less fortunate than herself. She’s championing a cause with Friskies to give 150,000 (!!) meals to cats in need, now through December 25th. Here’s how it works:

Each time you use the hashtag #GiveFriskies on Twitter or Instagram Friskies will donate a meal to cats in need across the nation.

It’s hard to be a cat at Christmas and all cats deserve a good meal. A couple of years ago Grumpy Cat, Oskar the Blind Cat, Nala Cat, Colonel Meow, and Hamilton the Hipster Cat starred in the following video that helped to feed over 500,000 homeless cats.

Kindness Comes in Many Flavors

Grumpy Cat and I both have a soft spot in our hearts for cats that have been left to fend for themselves under harsh conditions. If you don’t use Twitter or Instagram, you can help homeless animals in your community in lots of other ways. Here’s a few small things you can do that are not “small” at all:

Donate a bag of cat/dog food to your local Humane Society or animal shelter.
Give those old towels you were about to throw away to your local animal shelter. They always need towels and other types of bedding material.
Shelters always need disinfectant cleaners, bleach, newspapers, and paper towels. Next time you’re at Costco, buy extra and donate some to your local shelter.
Donate your time. Shelters need volunteers in all capacities.
Best of all, open your heart and home to a homeless or rescue animal. They will return the love one hundred-fold.

MJ Wright did a post on The Missing Spirit of Christmas that caused me to reflect on what the holiday season really means. For me, it’s kindness and generosity—but not the commercial-consumption kind—giving from the heart with random acts of inspired kindness. At the end of the day, true joy comes from helping one another…animals included.

It’s Hard to Be a Cat at Christmas…

The Cats Behind the Mouse ~ Disneyland’s Feline Cast Members

24 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Cats, Disneyland, Fun Facts

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@DisneylandCats, Alley Cat Allies, Becky, California Adventure, Cats of Disneyland, Disneyland, Disneyland Cats, Disneyland Hotel, Elizabeth Fais, Fantasyland, Feral Cats, Francisco, Frontierland, Giovanni, Grizzly River Run, Magic Kingdom, Rancho del Zocalo, Sleeping Beauty's Castle, TNR, Trader Sam's, Trap Neuter Return, Walt Disney

There are no words for the irony. Feral cats were original inhabitants of the Magic Kingdom…the place that started with a mouse.

Original Rulers of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle

When Disneyland opened in 1955, the interior of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was empty. Later, when Walt Disney decided to build a walk-through attraction inside the castle, they discovered a significant number of feral cats had claimed it as their royal home. Unfortunately, there was also a huge infestation of fleas.

Homes were found for all the castle cats, the place was treated for fleas, and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle became the walk-through attraction we know it as today. Everything was good. That is, until rodents began to take over the park. Again…the irony.

No one had taken into consideration that the castle cats provided a much needed service–they kept the park free of unsavory vermin. So, when a new group of feral cats found their way onto Disneyland property, they were allowed to stay. These cats were trapped, neutered, then returned (TNR) to their home “land”, to maintain a stable (cat) population.

It’s no spoof, I’ve got proof!

Today, the Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, California) is home to approximately 200 feral cats. Disney neuters, feeds, and provides medical care for the cats, and in return the cats keep the park free of rodents and other vermin.

Feral cats have a home – outdoors! And although they appreciate a can of cat food, they don’t want to snuggle with you on your couch. ~Alley Cat Allies

Feral cats are not socialized to people, and prefer to stay out of sight. I recently visited Disneyland with the intention of photographing some of the resident feral cats. Intention is the operative word. I managed to get pictures of 9 of the 200 feral cats, and consider myself extremely lucky. Here’s proof of Disneyland’s most elusive ca(s)t members.

Becky ~ Rancho del Zocalo restaurant, Disneyland

Early one morning, I caught Becky climbing up to her perch atop Frontierland’s Mexican restaurant, Rancho del Zocalo. The way she poses, you’d think she knows the Bougainvillea backdrop compliments her complexion.

Francisco & Friend ~ Grizzly River Run, California Adventure

Francisco (left) hangs out at Grizzly River Run in California Adventure, and is one of the friendliest of Disneyland’s feral cats. He’s been known to come near the fence to give park guests excellent photo-ops. His** friend (right) came out too, but stayed at a distance in camouflage.

**Most tortoiseshell cats are female, as are calico cats. However, there are rare male tortoiseshell and calico cats. Likewise, most orange tabby cats are male, yet I have a friend with a female orange tabby.

Giovanni & Friend ~ California Adventure

Giovanni (left) hangs out at the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant (California Adventure) behind the upstairs terrace. His friend (right) hugged the rock wall far in the distance, pausing only long enough for me to snap a picture before darting out of sight.

Disneyland Hotel Feline Cast Members

Cats also patrol the property around the Disneyland Resort hotels. I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, and found a few shy cast members luxuriating in the bushes surrounding the pool and Trader Sam’s on the warm, sunny afternoons.

I learned the names of some of Disneyland’s cats from talking with cast members when I visited the Park.

Grumpy Cat says: Watch funny videos and feed cats in need!

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Cats, Giving Back, Inspiration

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cat videos, Elizabeth Fais, Friskies, Grumpy Cat, YouTube

Grumpy for a Purr-fectly Wonderful Cause

Grumpy Cat can try to hide her true nature behind that frown, but she doesn’t fool me. Not one bit. Her recent Instagram shout out about the new Friskies YouTube channel that’s helping to feed hungry cats proves that she’s got a heart of gold.

Friskies will give 1 can of wet food to charity for every new video view and 2 cans of food for every new YouTube subscriber during the month of January (up to 100,000 cans).

Watch Friskies Videos to Feed Cats in Need

It’s easy! And so much fun!

Here’s all you have to do (before January 31, 2015):

Click this link: YouTube.com/user/PurinaFriskies
Click the Subscribe button in the upper right corner of the window, follow the prompts (if you haven’t already subscribed to this Friskies YouTube channel), and 2 cans of wet food will be given to feed needy cats.
Click a video, laugh as you watch through to completion, and 1 can of wet food will be given to feed needy cats—for EVERY video you watch through to completion.
Watch as many as you can before January 31st! Feeding needy cats couldn’t be more fun!

My Fav ~ Cat’s Knocking Things Down (in slow-mo)

Operation #OccupyTree

21 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Cats, Holiday Irreverence, Humor

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#EndFelineFamine, #EndWetFoodHunger, #OccupyTree, @CatFoodBreath, @DisneylandCats, @RealGrumpyCat, cats, Christmas, Elizabeth Fais, Feline Famine, Grumpy Cat, Holidays, Humor, Tastefully Offensive

The Cat-agious Movement Sweeping the World!

You thought your cats were just cute kitties–sweet and fluffy. Dumb animals that can’t grasp the concepts of an organized movement to reshape society. That they couldn’t instigate their own potent paradigm of social action based on contagious memes.

That there was no way they could comprehend the construct of a global revolution that evolved as a result of the Occupy Wall Street protest. That they weren’t paying attention.

Cat-agorically WRONG. You have no idea.

While protesters occupied Wall Street and you were glued to the TV, arguing with neighbors and coworkers, and perhaps organizing an Occupy protest in your community…

A fatally feline hairball of increasingly sophisticated and dynamic change was purrr-posely set in motion.

Cats around the world were plotting their own protest to end hunger for felines around the world.

A collaboration of such magnitude that it would transform the existing social order for the benefit of all cat-kind. Forever. Stealth and cunning, they waited for the perfect cat-a-clysmic moment to pounce…

The Brazen Brains Behind #OccupyTree

Evidence of the claw-dacious overthrow is flooding in. Grinch, move over! Cats everywhere are commandeering Christmas, demanding food and adequate shelter for everyone in their feline family around the globe.

“WHO is responsible for this ferocious feline movement?” authorities are asking.

Sources report that the cat-tankerous Twitter sensation @CatFoodBreath has shamelessly tweeted about #OccupyTree since 2011, and is thought to be the mastermind behind the entire movement.
Christmas Trees at the Happiest Place on Earth isn’t even safe. @DisneylandCats unabashedly tweets up their #OccupyTree victories throughout the Magic Kingdom.
And then there is Grumpy Cat. She’s used her fame to fan the flame of the feline revolt with her @RealGrumpyCat tweets to #EndWetFoodHunger.

Four Paws in Favor of Ending Feline Famine

As I’m sure you’ve realized, this post is pure parody. However, feline famine is very real. In the spirit of the holidays, here’s what you can bring much-needed comfort to a few furry forgotten souls:

Buy extra cat food next time you’re at the store, and drop it off at your local animal shelter.
If there is someone in your community who cares for feral cats, buy extra cat food and give it to them. Your donation is a tremendous benefit to the caregiver as well as the cats under their care.
Donate to a local animal rescue organization. The animal shelter in your area can provide you with a list of rescue organizations and how to get in touch with them.

As Charles Chaplin once said:

Who feeds a hungry animal feeds his own soul

Grumpiest Cat Alive Takes on the Happiest Place on Earth

21 Thursday Nov 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Amazing but true!, Cats, Disneyland, Humor

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

A Grumpy Book, Chronicle Books, Disney Side, Disneyland, Elizabeth Fais, Grumpy, Grumpy Cat, Tardar Sauce

Who’s the Grumpiest Cat in the land?

Grumpy Cat (a.k.a. Tardar Sauce) was born on April 4, 2012. She is a female cat who’s face appears grumpy because of feline dwarfism and an under bite. Grumpy Cat soared to popularity when a picture of her was posted to the social news website Reddit on September 22, 2012 by the owner’s brother.

Tabatha Bundesen, Tardar Sauce’s human parent, says that she and her brother Pokey were born to normal kitty parents. Due to Tardar Sauce’s dwarfism, she is undersized and her hind legs don’t work quite the way they should (you can see her cute waddle-walk in the following video).

Oddly enough, her human insists that Tardar Sauce is calm and “really nice”. It’s her brother Pokey who’s actually the grumpy one. Image from Wikipedia.

The Grumpiest Bestseller

Grumpy as she is, Tardar Sauce wasn’t satisfied with just being an internet sensation.

Oh, no. She needed a bestselling book deal too.

The official Grumpy Cat book was published on July 23, 2013 by Chronicle Books. Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book…

Teaches the fine art of grumpiness and includes enough bad attitude to cast a dark cloud over the whole world.

What’s the big about all the grumpy?

I seriously did not get the Grumpy Cat sensation. Maybe because I pretty much ignore sensations of any sort … twerking included. So I didn’t pay much attention to Her Grumpiness … until I saw the following video of a grumpy dwarf cat getting the royal treatment at the Happiest Place on Earth.

That’s when I finally realized she was a real cat, and that was her real face—not just a photoshopped expression. (I know, I’m a little slow some times.) I loved the way she walked, because it told me that she’s a special needs kind of kitty, which makes her all the more adorable. Plus… this cat rates getting to go to Disneyland when no one else is there!!! Visiting royalty doesn’t get that type of exclusive treatment. Only Grumpy Cat. She instantly became my new hero!

I’m an animal lover, and I get a little goofy (pun intended) over animals in general, grumpy or not. But I still didn’t get the world-wide Grumpy Cat craze, until I read the blog post by Josh Getzler, Why we need Grumpy Cat.

What do you think? Are you a Grumpy Cat fan?

Before you answer, watch the following video. If you’re not a fan, you just might become one in the next minute and a half.

Grumpy Cat Meets Her Disney Side

Ernest Hemingway was a “Cat Lady”

19 Tuesday Nov 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Amazing but true!, Cats, Fun Facts

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American author, Cat Lady, cats, Elizabeth Fais, Ernest Hemingway, Florida, Hemingway Home and Museum, Key West, polydactyl, six-toed cats, writers

Yes. It’s true. Hemingway, one of the manliest men to ever hit the literary scene loved cats. A plethora of them. 40-50 six-toed (polydactyl) cats still roam his Key West, Florida estate.

40-50 cats = Cat Lady

I don’t mean to dis The Man, nor the furry family of six-toed cats he adopted. Quite the opposite. I consider the “Cat Lady” title a badge of honor. It means the person is a kind soul who helps animals. And let’s face it. We could use more kindness in the world. Being a “Cat Lady” is more about kindness than the number of cats in a person’s care. Photo of a six-toed cat next to Hemingway’s typewriter at the Earnest Hemingway Home and Museum.

Hemingway’s Six-Toed Cats

One of Hemingway’s first feline companions was a six-toed white cat named Snowball, which was given to him by a ship’s captain.

It is thought—though not proven—that some of the many cats who currently live on the Hemingway Home and Museum grounds in Key West could be descendants of Snowball. After all, Key West is a small island. Which makes it entirely possible that more than a few of the cats that inhabit the island are related. Photograph of Hemingway with sons Patrick and Gregory with kittens, from Wikipedia.

What is a polydactyl cat?

Normal cats have five toes on each front paw and four toes on each hind paw. A polydactyl cat can have as many as eight toes on their front and/or hind paws. Polydactyl cats are not a particular breed. The six-(or more)-toed trait can appear in any breed, Calicos, Tabbies, Tortoise Shell, etc. They vary in shapes, sizes, colors and personalities. What they have in common is a genetic mutation.

Cats with this genetically inherited trait are most commonly found along the East Coast of North America (in the United States and Canada) and in South West England and Wales. Throughout history, polydactyl cats have been popular as ship’s cats. their extra toes aid them in climbing and hunting thereby helping to control rodents on ships. Being good “ship cats” contributed to the spread of polydactyl cats. Photo of one of the polydactyl cats at the Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West, Florida. This particular cat has 26 toes!

No one knows for sure whether the polydactyl genetic trait originated in New England, or was brought there from Britain. However, there is evidence that the polydactyl trait spread as a result of cats that were carried on ships originating from Boston, Massachusetts. The prevalence of polydactyl cats in various other ports correlates with the dates those ports first established sea trade with Boston.

Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Florida

The Key West, Florida home Ernest Hemingway and his wife Pauline purchased in 1931 was originally built in 1851. The Spanish Colonial style mansion was in a serious state of neglect when the Hemingways took ownership. Luckily, they saw beyond the disrepair to the grand architecture. The Hemingways immediately took on a massive restoration and remodeling that turned the home—built from rock excavated from the property—into the National Historical Landmark that thousands of tourists visit and enjoy.

I don’t know about you, but visiting Hemingway’s Key West home is on my bucket list, for a number of reasons. If you’d like to learn more about the estate, click the following links for information on the Hemingway home, gardens, tours, and of course … the cats. Image from Wikipedia.