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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

New kitten

7 replies

Gorja · 07/03/2014 20:13

Hi,

I today got a new kitten who appears to have been abandoned. I have tried all I can think of to track an owner down, but nobody is coming forward and he is not chipped.

The thing that worries me is he has too many toes!

I would post a picture but don't know how too. He has extra toes both front and back paws.

Will he be ok or will it cause him problems, does anybody know?

Thanks

OP posts:

crazynanna · 07/03/2014 20:18

Can he walk ok?

thecatneuterer · 07/03/2014 20:19

That's a polydactyl cat. Here's a link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyl_cat

Usually it's just a genetic condition causing no particular problems. I have had dealings with a large group of such cats and we managed to rehome a lot of them. Unfortunately they all turned out to be ridiculously accident prone with a number of them dying in quite unlikely accidents and many more having near misses. So much so that we had to 'recall' the remaining ones to live out their lives in our less peril-ridden sanctuary. But I don't think that was related to their toes, probably more to an astounding level of inbreeding.

So that's nothing to worry about. Be very careful if someone does come forward - people want free kittens for all sorts of nasty reasons. They would need to be able to prove that it's their kitten or you don't give it to them. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. (sorry for the caps but I want to make the point:) )

So do you think you might keep him?

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/03/2014 20:38

Ooh free pet.

Photobucket is easy to use for photos....

Original poster

Gorja · 07/03/2014 21:26

Photo on profile.

Will definitely keep him, he is like one of the family now!

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/03/2014 22:04

Did you make your profile public? Nothing's coming up but it might be site lag.

WakeyTryingAgain · 10/03/2014 10:41

My family had a cat with extra toes and he was fantastic! Lived to 22 with no accidents and he was such a cheeky chappy! I wouldn't hesitate if I saw one in a rescue

girlwhowearsglasses · 10/03/2014 12:11

OOh you have a lucky cat! I had this book as a child and read it to my kids every time we go to DGPs : www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Years-Lions-Colette-OHare/dp/0006618995/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1394453313&sr=8-16&keywords=seven+years+and+a+day "Seven Years and a Day" By Colette O'Hare and Beryl Cook. Basically if the cat has six toes he's lucky and if you look after him well for seven years and a day you can have your dearest wish!! I've never seen one

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