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Polydactyl cat appeared in Samara

By Nikolay KOZLOV, "Samarskiye Izvestiya", No 235 (6182) dtd 21.12.11

"SI" correspondent was introduced to a unique animal on last Saturday.

СамбаEven those who never heard of animal horoscope of ancient Taoists know: passing year 2011 was the year of a Cat. Conducted on the 17th of December in Samara cat-show became thus a symbolic event.

There were a lot of cats there. But the salt of the forum dedicated to the symbol of the passing year became polydactyl female-cat Samba who recently had settled in Samara. The term originates form Greek words "poly" - "many" and "daktylos" - "toes". The Maine Coon female named Samba who lives in Samara has not just many, but very many toes - by 7 on front paws, and 5 - on rare left paw.

Polydactyl maine coons are very rare in Russia yet. Their native land is considered to be the North-East of the USA where according to the legend they were brought by sailers. It was thought a good sign to keep cats with extra toes on board. Besides, sailers treasured polydactyl cats for their extraordinary abilities in catching mice and rats. These inusual cats naturalized in New England very well. Extra toes made them more steady, tenent, dexterous and let them move in deep snow during winters more easily without sinking. Local people said polydactyl cats sometimes had used their enormous paws to catch live fish in streams and brought it home to their humans when food was scarce.

Polydactyls have many admirers all over the world. Due to specific toe configuration they are often called "mitten-pawed cats".

By the way, especial tenderness towards polys showed the great writer Ernest Hemingway. His house at Key West, Florida was inhabitat by a large population of polydactyl cats. To the present moment their offsprings live in Hemingway hose turned into museum now.

Writer Andre Norton called the cats aliens. Actually, we can't deny these animals intelligence but they live by their own laws, and it isn't easy to common earthians to understand them. Samba's owner, Ms Olga Kardashevskaya, thinks Samba to be the most uncommont cat in the world posessing wonderful temper and charisma.

- Maine coons as they are feature extraordinary intelligence, - she says. - but polys are "squared maine coons". As if extra toe gives them more brains. They are perfect companion-cas. The matter is, that maine coon is a large breed. Average weight of adult male is about 8-9 kg. Admit, that if such small tiger is bad-tempered and capricious it would be a problem to keep him home. Despite their severe look maine coons are the kindest creatures with golden temper and are very comfortable to live with. They are, so say, more "human" if compared to common cats. Therefore, I don't wonder they brought fish to their masters helping to survive in starving time. I'm personally, for example, pleased to come home from office and shake "mitten-paw", because I know - this is a paw of a real friend.