Hemingway the Polydactyl Siamese Cat With Heart-Shaped Paws Adopted By Loving Family
Hemingway has lots of love to give—and heart-shaped paws to match! 
Averi Baudler contributing writer headshot By Averi Baudler March 24, 2021 Advertisement Pin FB More Tweet Email Send Text Message Print
Upon first inspection, Hemingway may look like any other adorable Siamese cat. But take a closer look and you'll start to notice his paws—and heartwarming adoption story—are anything but average.
As reported by Cole and Marmalade, Hemingway first stood out among other felines when he wandered upon a feral colony in Pasco County, Fla. Cat rescuer Cat Man Chris who first came across the polydactyl cat took note of the fact that, unlike many of the other cats who'd frequent the colony, the sweet Siamese cat immediately approached and began begging for pets and food. Hemingway's willingness to interact with a human led the rescuer to believe the gentle giant had been abandoned by his former family.
Portrait of Siamese, Hemingway cat Credit: Courtesy of Cat Man Chris / Facebook
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Although his friendly demeanor certainly was striking, it was Hemingway's large, heart-shaped paws that really set him apart from the others. This blue-eyed beauty's unusual paws are due to a congenital physical anomaly called polydactyly, which means his paws have more toes than normal. Though some polydactyl cats only have extra toes on a single paw, all four of Hemingway's paws sport six toes each.
The Runaways Animal Rescue was happy to step in once they heard about the unique Siamese cat with extra toes. Because some adopters specifically seek out polydactyl cats, the rescue wanted to ensure Hemingway was connected with a loving family who wouldn't exploit his genetic makeup.
After spending a few days with a rescuer, Hemingway was moved to a temporary foster home to await his adoption. The cat managed to charm his foster family enough for it to consider adopting him, but he was eventually matched with a devoted family that needed him just as much as he needed it, Cole & Marmalade reported.
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The family, which was healing from the recent loss of their own cat, had just settled into a new home when it realized the Siamese polydactyl cat could be the key to mending their broken hearts. It was his new family who gave him the name Hemingway (up until that point he had been called Valentino) as a nod to writer Ernest Hemingway and his famous extra-toed Hemingway cats.
After quite the journey, it seems this precious polydactyl cat has found his forever home. We're so happy for Hemingway and are pleased to know he now lives with a family who will love every part of him, from head to toe(s).
