Cats do not have true thumbs or opposable digits like humans. They have a fifth digit on their front paws called a dewclaw, which sometimes looks like a thumb but does not function as one. However, some cats have a genetic mutation called polydactyly that causes extra toes, which can appear thumb-like but are still not opposable like human thumbs.
Normal Cat Paws
- Cats normally have five toes on each front paw and four on each back paw.
- The fifth digit (dewclaw) on the front paws is often mistaken for a thumb but is not opposable and cannot grasp objects.
Polydactyl Cats ("Cats with Thumbs")
- Polydactyl cats have extra toes on their paws, sometimes resembling thumbs or mittens.
- These extra toes appear mostly on the inside edge of the front paws.
- The extra digits are not truly opposable thumbs but give the appearance of thumbs.
- Polydactyly is genetic and inherited.
- Polydactyl cats do not have serious disadvantages or proven functional advantages from the extra toes, though some cats learn to use them skillfully.
Famous Example
- Ernest Hemingway had polydactyl cats, leading to the nickname "Hemingway cats" for such polydactyl cats.
In summary, while cats do not have thumbs in the human sense, some polydactyl cats appear to have thumb-like toes due to extra digits caused by a genetic mutation.
