Have you ever seen a cat with extra toes? It’s a seemingly weird phenomenon called polydactyl. According to an article at the Catster website, polydactyls are not all that uncommon. I guess most of us have seen or known a cat with six or more toes on a paw. Most commonly you’ll see the extra toes on the front paws, but they can also occur on the back paws.
Sometimes these cats are known as Hemmingway cats. Evidently, a sea captain gave author, Ernest Hemmingway a polydactyl cat and he developed an obsession for cats with extra toes. In fact of the fifty cats still at his Key West, Florida estate, most of them are polydactyls. Why did the sea captain have a polydactyl cat? Because of a superstition. It was once thought that polydactyl cats brought good luck at sea.
Here’s an interesting fact, Maine coon cats often have extra toes and it’s thought this is 
because they originated in Maine and needed the wider foot to make their way through the snow. Here’s a site with more information and some adorable pictures of polydactyl cats. http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/polydactyl-cats-facts
Some think the paws of a polydactyl cat look like the cat’s wearing mittens. If you have a polydactyl cat, you may have noticed that the dew claw of these cats might tend to curl around and go back into the paw pad. However, we have normal-pawed cats that this happens to. So I know this isn’t unique to the polydactyl cats. In fact, today, I urge you to check your cats’ claws to make sure they are not growing out of control.
Do you trim your cat’s claws? If she’s an inside-only cat, you’re probably going to want to snip those needle-sharp tips off of her claws from time to time. It’s important to keep an eye on a cat’s claws to make sure there aren’t issues, such as a thickening of the claw, a broken or torn claw, or that the claw isn’t curled around and growing into the pad. OUCH! Here’s a site that shows how to trim your cat’s claws. If you can’t manage, take her to your veterinarian. They have a way with cats who can outsmart their owners.
http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-trim-your-cats-claws/
Do you sometimes find what look like your cat’s claws around the house? It’s okay. She didn’t lose a claw, she simply shed the outer layer of the claw. This is normal. So be sure to provide one or more scratching posts or pads for your cats. They need to use their claws in order to help shed those claw sheaths.
It may take time to choose the right scratching material for your cat. In our home, we have a carpeted cat tree that our cats love to shred. They also use a cardboard scratch pad and we inherited a large wooden cat tree that they enjoy climbing, hanging out on, and clawing. Does this keep them from clawing the furniture? Wellllll, I believe it certainly cuts down on their tendency to shred our belongings.
It was 1973 when I borrowed a manual typewriter, set it up on a small table in a corner of my bedroom, and started writing for publication. Forty-five years later, I have 68 published books and thousands of published articles to my credit. And I do not plan to retire anytime soon.
publishing, book promotion, youth mentoring, presenting a luau, and journaling.
Yes, this is national Ask Your Cat a Question Day. And I found a fun article to entertain and enlighten you. According to this piece, “As we all know, a cat makes a human happy with her very existence, while the human must perform daily to make the cat happy. That’s just the way it is!” I see heads nodding. This cute article also lists some of the questions your cat might ask you, your response and your cat’s possible rebuttal. Need a chuckle today? You’ll get it here:
Yesterday, we talked about the danger of essential oils when used around a cat. I began to wonder about those plug-in room fresheners and even spray air fresheners. So I did some research. This is what I found: Unfortunately, many air fresheners are not safe to use around pets. So take care when using them. Here’s a site that explains the dangers and symptoms of exposure to some of the ingredients or elements of a spray and plug-in air freshener. 
around when you spray your hair, right? And when you want to spray-clean your furniture, you put the cats in another room. But, what happens when they return to the room and walk though where the spray has collected on the floor or the furniture?
herbicides, along with a whole list of plants and some foods. Chocolate, garlic, and onions, for example, should not be given to cats. This even makes baby food and seemingly benign chicken broth, for example, off limits to our cats.
I received a lovely brochure from the Humane Society this week. It’s excerpted from Arden Moore’s book, Happy Cat, Happy You and it includes some of the best tips I’ve read for cat owners. Either donate to the Humane Society to receive it or order the complete book here: 
when you’re liable to find any suspicious lumps or sore spots. Oh, here’s a good idea. We spread blankets over chairs and sofas to make “tents” for our cats on cool days. They love to snuggle in their tents, just like your kids used to do. For an extra treat, warm the blanket in the dryer for a few minutes. Hey, I want a piece of that warm blanket…
I walked into our veterinarian’s office the other day with our torbie, Lily, and saw a policeman sitting next to a small carrier. I asked if that was his police dog. He laughed and said, “No, it’s our police cat.” He said that they’d actually adopted the large Siamese-type cat to keep at the station and named him LT. Evidently, LT had attempted to nab a scoundrel of the wild kind and ended up on the sick list. He was visiting the vet to see about treatment for a bite or scratch injury.
Evidently, he’s the best mouser around. And he helps keep the other officers entertained.
People often ask me if my Klepto Cat Mysteries are for children. I think it’s because not everyone is familiar with the cozy mystery genre, which is light reading for adults. Cozy mysteries are recognized by their, sometimes, whimsical and generally cute and the fun covers that look, to some, like child’s play. Cozy mysteries might feature cats, horses, quilting, a library setting, cupcakes, an antique store…you name it. They’re sort of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys revved up just enough for adults.
that feature cats and involve appropriate action. Have your children or grandchildren begun reading the Crime Cats books? Check them out here: 
First, let me say that Catscapades has been recognized by, yet, another website as one of the best 25 cat blogs in 2017. Visit here to see the list and links. 
they have such a holiday or a recognition, you ask? I asked the same question. Well, it’s probably sponsored by companies that design, manufacture, and sell clothes for pets. And there are a lot of people who delight in dressing their pets.
Sophie has Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Yes, Sophie is a cat—a cat who was evacuated during the recent fire that surrounded our community last month and did so much damage here and in neighboring communities. I evacuated with Lily and Sophie to my mother’s twenty miles away for two days. All seemed to go well, although I knew that Sophie was not a happy traveler or a happy camper.
missing patches of fur was on the inside and outside of the same leg, she’d consider pain in the joint–arthritis, perhaps. She also looked for fleas–something our cats haven’t had to deal with since everyone stays inside. And she did prescribe a flea remedy just in case Sophie picked some up from my mother’s cat (who is an inside/outside kitty).
Are you addicted to cats? Do you have trouble resisting cute cat videos? Do you sigh with delight at seeing an adorable cat painting or photograph? I adore most cat art. Here’s an article featuring some of the world’s famous artists who had cats and who, at some point in their career, featured their cat(s) on canvas. Did you know that Salvador Dali had an ocelot? Andy Warhol included his Siamese in several of his paintings. 
