Ernest Hemingway's fascination with cats, especially polydactyl ones, is a delightful aspect of his personal life that complements his rugged, adventurous literary persona.
The story of Ernest Hemingway and his six-toed cats began with Snow White, a white polydactyl kitten that Hemingway received in the 1930s. The kitten was a gift from a sea captain named Stanley Dexter. Sailors favored polydactyl cats, believing they were good luck. Their extra toes are considered lucky on ships for their supposed superior balance and hunting skills, traits useful for keeping ships rodent-free. They are often called "mitten cats." In cats, polydactyly is most common on the front paws. It less frequently occurs on the hind paws, and very rarely presents on all four paws. Polydactyl cats come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and breeds. The polydactyl gene is more commonly found among cats along America's East coast, as well as in southwest England and Wales. To this day, many of Snow White's descendants roam the grounds of Hemingway Home, and because Key West is so small, it's not unlikely that many of the cats on the island are related.
Hemingway’s home in Key West became the center of his cat legacy. Now a museum, the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is famous for housing a large population of cats, many of which are descendants of Snow White. Approximately half of these cats are polydactyl, and all are treated with care by museum staff, living freely on the property. All of the property's cats carry the polydactyl gene. This means that even the cats with normal numbers of toes on each paw (five front toes and four rear toes) can produce polydactyl kittens.
Each cat is named after a famous figure, a tradition that began with Hemingway himself, who had a penchant for giving them notable names like “Winston Churchill” and “Marlene Dietrich.”
Hemingway loved the independence and quirky nature of cats, and they reportedly inspired and accompanied him while he wrote. His Key West home, with its vibrant, sun-drenched gardens and unique architecture, was the perfect environment for both creativity and the presence of these spirited animals. The cats became a part of his daily life and a small, comforting presence amidst his complex world of adventure and writing.
Today, the cats at the Hemingway Home and Museum are protected by law, having been declared a historical treasure in 2009. The museum staff ensures they receive regular veterinary care, and they are microchipped, cataloged, and well-documented. The cats are also free to roam both indoors and outdoors, often found lounging on beds, bookshelves, or Hemingway’s writing desk, where he penned many of his famous works.
Hemingway’s legacy of cat love has even influenced Key West’s culture. The “Hemingway cats” have become beloved symbols, and Key West celebrates its eccentric animal-loving side during events like the annual “Hemingway Days” festival, which includes look-alike contests, storytelling events, and, of course, tours featuring the famed cats.
In recent years the Hemingway Home and Museum has fallen into a long, drawn-out legal battle with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, currently insisting that the museum needs an exhibitor’s license to keep the cats in accordance with the federal regulations of the Animal Welfare Act. The same license that is required of zoos and circuses, the exhibitor’s license would mean several significant changes for the Hemingway polydactyls.
The cats would have to be placed in cages at night, a higher fence or an electrically wired enclosure would need to go up around the property, and the museum would be required to hire a night guard to ensure the cats were properly contained. There has been quite a lot of back and forth between government agencies, the courts, and the museum over the past several years, but for now the future of Hemingway’s furry, six-toed felines remains, unfortunately, fuzzy.
A Couple of fun facts:
1. One of Hemingway’s cats was “jailed.”
In 2016, Martha Gellhorn—not the war correspondent who was Hemingway’s third wife, but the gray tabby named after her—nipped at a tourist (who apparently didn’t know how to decipher cat body language) and found herself behind bars at the vet’s office. “It was the first time ever and the woman was aggressive with the cat,” the home’s manager told the Miami Herald. “They are pets. We have 32 employees who consider them five-day-a-week pets.” After a 10-day quarantine, Martha was returned to the museum. Her jailers had dubbed her “a sweetheart.”
2. Catnip can cause problems for Hemingway's cats.
Catnip is a problem because people want to being catnip here and play with the cats, but when there’s 45, two of them want to go for the same cat thing. It can cause a little tussle.” The guide advised not bringing any catnip or treats, because the cats are on a particular diet. “We ask, don’t pick up the cats, but they’re free for your petting,” she said, “and most of the cats, if you sit on a bench they will take to your lap, and of course that’s cool with us.”
3. Hemingway’s cats survived Hurricane Irma.
A full evacuation of the Florida Keys was ordered when Hurricane Irma approached the islands in 2017, but 10 employees insisted on staying behind with the cats. “When we started to round up the cats to take them inside, some of them actually ran inside knowing it was time to take shelter,” curator Dave Gonzales told MSNBC. “Sometimes I think they’re smarter than human beings.” The employees and the 54 cats rode out the storm, "The cats are accustomed to our voices and our care. We love them, they love us. We all hung out together," Gonzales said. The museum’s thick limestone walls kept them all nice and cool, and we had generators, food, water, and medical supplies on hand.
4. Hemingway’s cats are laid to rest on the museum’s grounds.
According to the Herald-Tribune, when Hemingway’s cats pass away, they’re laid to rest in the gardens behind the house. “The burial spots are marked with concrete gravestones crudely etched with the names of now-deceased felines, some named for celebrities: Willard Scott, who died at age 12 in 1988; Kim Novak, who was 22 when she passed in 1997; and Gremlin (1986-2005).”
Ernest Hemingway’s love for polydactyl cats left a charming legacy that endures at his Key West home, now a museum where his feline companions live on as an integral part of the estate's history. These cats, celebrated for their unique heritage, continue to captivate visitors, embodying Hemingway’s adventurous spirit and his softer side. Today, they stand as living symbols of his life and work, drawing fans from around the world to experience a piece of literary history infused with Hemingway's unique affection for these remarkable animals.
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