Snowball - a six-fingered cat Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway - the person is not completely uncovered. Even from all his written works only a small part is published, and 10,000 pages of text are still waiting for the opportunity to present themselves to the reader. But the name of this American writer is remembered not only in connection with literature. He still had many different hobbies, one of which was boundless love for cats.

The appearance of a kitten

This story began back in 1920, when the young Ernest came to the island of Key West, which is located near the state of Florida. This place sunk into his heart, so eleven years later he bought a house here, which became the abode of the writer until his divorce from his second wife, Pauline. Here he created some of his best works - "Farewell to Arms!" And "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Also in this house grew two writer's sons.

It was here and there was an unusual kitten, which for Ernest brought from Boston his friend - Captain Stanley Dexter. The cat was from Maine Coon. But his main feature was that he had six fingers on his front paws. In general, such cats were often kept on ships, because superstitious sailors believed that they bring good luck.

What was the name of the six-fingered cat Hemingway

This little lump of wool marked the beginning of a long cat story in the writer's life. He became known as Hemingway's first six-fingered cat. The writer did not choose his name for long. He was white, which explains his nickname - Snowball, and in English - Snowball. The writer immediately fell in love with him. About this distinction should be told separately, and now a few words about the very breed Maine Coon.

Biological information

The breed of these cats originated about 150 years ago on the farms of Maine, and from there the name, which literally translates as "the manx raccoon". They really look like this animal in large sizes and fluffy tail. Maine Coon is a long-haired cat. Their characteristic feature is the bundles of wool on the tips of the ears, like a lynx. The body of Maine Coons muscular, downed, rectangular muzzle, with developed cheekbones. The color of the coat is different, the most popular is the black tabby.

If we talk about the nature of raccoon cats, they can rightly be called gentle giants. They are immensely affectionate and peaceful. They love the company of the owner very much, but at the same time they need some personal space. This is a manifestation of such features as independence. Despite the size, maine-coons just adore acrobatic stunts. Ernest Hemingway's six-fingered cat, Snowball, was just like that. Not surprisingly, this breed is one of the most popular in the world after Siamese and exotic cats.

Unfortunately, there is no clear photo, where this Ernest's six-fingered cat was captured in all its glory, but there is an image of a kitten that looks like two drops of water like the famous Snowball.

Polydactyly

The fact that Snowball is a six-fingered cat is not a fiction or a legend. He really had six fingers on his front paws. How can this deviation be explained? In a scientific way this is called polydactyly. A similar phenomenon is found not only in cats, but also in humans. In addition, there are six and seven fingers, and the cat should normally have five on the front legs and four in the hind legs.

Polydactyly is not a disease, but a gene mutation. And this sign will always be dominant, so almost all the cats, whose father was a six-fingered cat, will also have an extra finger. This also applies to the second and third generations.

Other cats of Ernest Hemingway

A six-fingered cat Snowball became the first, but not the last pet of the great writer. Ernest Hemingway is so imbued with love for cats, that soon in his estate there were already about twenty individuals pacing. And they were of all kinds: thoroughbred and not, huge and miniature, black, white, striped. Perhaps they reminded him of other members of the family of cat-gracious lions, whom he met during the African hunting season. True, to his cats, Ernest had the most sentimental feelings.

Once Hemingway had to shoot the cat Willie, when he got under the car, so as not to suffer. He wrote about this in a letter to his friend: "I had to shoot people, but I have never shot someone I've known and loved for eleven years, and especially not the one who was humming with two broken legs."

Snowball and its descendants

Hemingway's six-footed cat became the founder of the whole dynasty, which now lives in the famous house on Key West. Descendants of Snowball have more than forty. Everyone has one or two extra fingers on their paws. In general, seventy representatives of the cat family live and live in the house museum .

The great writer initiated one interesting tradition: each cat or cat, he gave an original name in honor of famous personalities. For example, at one time under one roof lived Harry Truman, Marilyn Monroe, Winston Churchill. And although the writer has long been dead, the museum staff follow this example. Therefore, on the island of Key West, and Sophia Loren, and Charlie Chaplin, and Pablo Picasso.

Near the estate there is a whole cat's cemetery where the dead cats are buried, including the legendary Snowball - Ernest Hemingway's first six-fingered cat.

Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit the island in order not only to get acquainted with the life of the American writer, but also to look at the unusual descendants of Snowball. This six-fingered cat Hemingway, whose name is undoubtedly known to fans of the writer's creativity, became the founder of a whole polydactyl family, which pleases visitors with his purr.