Polydactyl Maine Coon Cats
What it is, where it comes from, and what it means for the cat.
A polydactyl Maine Coon has extra toes, sometimes one on each front paw and sometimes on all four, giving the paws a mitten or snowshoe look. Many people searching for polydactyl Maine Coon kittens for sale also ask whether all Maine Coons are polydactyl. They are not, and most Maine Coons today have the normal number of toes.
This page explains how the trait works, why it is common in the breed's history, what the cat associations allow, and what to ask a breeder if the extra toes appeal to you. Extra toes are a feature of the paws, not a sign of a rarer or better cat.
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What Is a Polydactyl Maine Coon?
Polydactyl means "many digits." A normal cat has five toes on each front paw and four on each back paw, 18 in all. A polydactyl cat has more than that, most often six on the front paws, and sometimes seven. The extra toes can be small and tucked beside the dewclaw, or fully formed and separate, giving a broad, thumb-like paw.
Front paws are affected far more than back paws. A cat can have extra toes on one paw only, on both front paws, or on all four. The condition is not painful in itself, and most polydactyl cats walk, climb and play like any other cat.
Are All Maine Coons Polydactyl?
No. This is a common myth. Polydactyly was once frequent among Maine Coons, especially in the northeastern United States where the breed began, but most Maine Coons today are born with the standard number of toes. Show breeders have often selected against it, which is probably a big reason it became less common.
Plenty of purebred Maine Coons are not polydactyl at all, and a cat with normal paws is not any less of a Maine Coon. If you want to know how to tell a purebred from a mix, our guide on how to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon looks at the features that matter, and toe count is not one of them.
How Does Polydactyly Work? The Genetics in Plain Words
The trait is passed on by a dominant gene. That means a kitten needs to inherit it from only one parent to have extra toes. If one parent is polydactyl, each kitten has a good chance of being polydactyl too, and if neither parent has the gene, no kitten will.
The effect is not always the same. The same gene can give one cat a single small extra toe and another cat a large, fully formed paw, so you cannot predict the exact look of a kitten from its parents. Because the gene is dominant, a polydactyl cat is not usually a hidden carrier, though how many extra toes show can vary a lot.
Why Are Extra Toes Part of the Breed's History?
The Maine Coon developed from working cats in the northeastern United States, and polydactyly was common in cats in that region, especially along the coast. A popular explanation is that extra toes help on snow and on ship decks. That is a likeable story, but it is a theory and not something anyone has proven.
What we know is that the trait was widespread in the early cats, then became less common after Maine Coons began to be shown in the 20th century. Breeders who followed the show standards stopped breeding polydactyl cats, while some people who loved the look kept the line going. Read more about the origins on what a Maine Coon is.
Do Cat Associations Allow Polydactyl Maine Coons?
It depends on the group, and the rules differ. As far as we know, CFA does not show Maine Coons with extra toes, while TICA has been reported to accept polydactyl Maine Coons in recent years. Some European bodies, such as FIFe, are reported not to accept polydactyl cats at all.
Rules change, and we have not checked every association's latest wording, so confirm the current position with the association itself if showing or registration matters to you. For a pet, none of this changes how healthy or loving the cat is. It only affects what you can do in the show ring and how a cat is registered.
Are Polydactyl Maine Coons Healthier or Less Healthy?
In general, polydactyl cats are as healthy as any other, and the extra toes are not linked to illness. A few things need attention. Extra toes can mean extra nails, and these may grow into the pad if they are not trimmed on time. Some cats have toes that are poorly attached or catch on things, and a vet can advise on that.
Polydactyly says nothing about the common health concerns of the breed, such as heart disease or hip problems, and our guide to Maine Coon health covers those. A polydactyl kitten should have the same vet checks, vaccines and parent testing as any other kitten, and a good breeder will not skip them because the paws are unusual. Our Maine Coon health page covers what a careful breeder tests for, and the grooming guide includes nail care.
Where Can I Find a Polydactyl Maine Coon Kitten?
They are less common than standard-footed kittens, because many breeders do not produce them. A breeder who does should be open about it and never charge on the idea that extra toes make a cat rarer, healthier or bigger.
Look at the kittens on the available kittens page, compare coats on the Maine Coon colors page, or start with the guide to choosing a breeder. The extra toes are about the paws, so the usual questions about parents, health and raising still apply.
Polydactyl Maine Coon Questions
01How many toes does a polydactyl Maine Coon have?
Usually six on each front paw, sometimes seven, and occasionally extra toes on the back paws too. A normal cat has 18 in total.
02Do polydactyl Maine Coons need special care?
Mostly just regular nail trims. Extra nails can curl into the pad if neglected, so check the paws often and trim when needed.
03Is a polydactyl Maine Coon a purebred?
It can be. The trait occurs naturally in the breed, but a cat with extra toes alone is not proof of breed. Registration papers and parentage are what show it.
04Do polydactyl cats have better balance or grip?
Some owners say so, but there is no solid evidence. The extra toes do not make the cat bigger, faster or better at climbing.
05Can a polydactyl cat have normal-toed kittens?
Yes. If the other parent has normal toes and the polydactyl parent carries one copy of the gene, each kitten has roughly an even chance of either.
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