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Carrie Antlfinger / AP
Daniel displays a paw with two extra toes.
Last week we told you about Daniel, the rescued cat who was returning the favor by helping his owner save her Milwakuee animal shelter. Amy Rowell was touring an animal control center when Daniel caught her eye by holding up a paw with two extra toes.
In fact, Daniel has a total of 26 toes – only two short of the Guinness record – due to a genetic mutation called polydactylism (most cats have only 18). And when Rowell needed help to rescue her own animal rescue center, all 26 of them came in handy.
Unable to afford its raised rent at a suburban mall, the Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center needed to buy a new building. To raise the necessary funds, Rowell solicited $26 donations – $1 for each of Daniel's tootsies.
Donors opened their hearts and their wallets, and $125,000 poured in within the space of just six weeks, the Associated Press reports – $5,000 more than the goal. And most of it came in the form of $26 donations.
So Daniel the rescued cat rescued his rescuer, and now she can pay it forward by saving other animals. But Rowell still welcomes donations – she hopes to raise $230,000 more to pay off the mortgage.
Paws for a cause: Cat with 26 toes helps save animal shelter
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Carrie Antlfinger / AP
Daniel has two extra toes on each paw, a genetic mutation called polydactylism.
Leave a Comment:
Puuuurrrfeeect.
Animals do make us pure we should follow their lead.
I would agree with that except she seemed to have exploited the heck out of the cats abnormality to accomplish her goal....is that pure capitalism or what.... either way I am glad that she was able to accomplish her goal of providing a new shelter;)
Working hard on that opposable thumb problem.
I was thinking more like...Does those toes come with 26 claws too? What's a few mores scratches on my arm.
We have three poly cats in our house. They are awesome. Two have 24, but I guess that seems ordinary compared to Daniel. Nice work
What a wonderful story - High-five, (er seven?) to Daniel from both our poly kitties!
Cute:)
Wow, that lower picture makes it look like the cat has two paws on one leg.
The cat is adorable! :)
Isn't he? I could take him home now.....
Hooray for the kitty!
reidsworld do these cats have special problems because of the extra toes? It looks like Daniel might have problems using his front paws.
We had several poly barn cats on the farm when I was a kid. They had no problems - maybe because they were born that way and didn't know any differently - and they could run like the wind on top of the snow we get here in Wisconsin, because they didn't sink in. A bit like snowshoe rabbits, I guess!
Cat should join the circus.
Bet that guy can climb a tree likity-split!
Nice Kitty
Good for him and his owner !
very awesome, but does he have a beard and cool santa hat?
Its rare for a creature to have a mutation like that and not have health problems to go along with it.
Not at all -- polydactylism is actually fairly common in cats and those with the extra digits are no more prone to any illnesses, conditions, etc than any other cat. A little research would do you good.
Our poly cats lived just as long, if not longer, than the non-poly cats on our farm. They are not more prone to illness just because they have a few extra toes. In fact, polydactylism is a DOMINANT genetic trait. If it caused health issues, the trait would have died out long ago.
Earnest Hemingway acquired a polydactyl cat at his home in Key West, FL and ended up making provisions in his will for the decendants of his cats. At least 60 cats now live on the estate, and half of them are polydactyl.
I have a kitty named "Ernie"- named after- you guessed it- Ernest Hemingway and his love of polydactyls!!
I have a cat that has "thumbs" on her front paws. Still 18 but most cats have just the claw on front paw but here thumb is 1" long! Nothing like Daniel but cute anyway!
That cat sure knows how to make tracks. It must be a real job to trim those claws.
she should do a daniel cat callender highlighting daniels uniqness and i'm sure done and marketed right i'm buying one. if your a cat lover and there are millions we LOVE uniqness. better would be 12 different cats including daniel all with unique physical attributes. we see kitten kitten and more kitten callenders but not freeky cats. mabe a book of unique cats with pictures and stories behind their coolness. oh and my cat rusty should be included since he might be the fattest orange tabby on the planet.
SO, SO, SO happy to read a story like this!! Those orange tabby boys are the sweetest ever! My little boy, Linus, lived to be 20 years old, and was greatful everyday of his life to have been rescued. Please adopt from a shelter and encourage everyone to SPAY AND NEUTER their furry friends!
Well said...I purchased my orange tabby 7 years ago and he has the greatest temperment ever. He is so affectionate and loveable. I'd trade him for nothing. I too encourage the spay and nueter process. It saves lives.
I also have a little orange boy I rescued. It's funny how they seem to know. He is so loving and funny. I also am a big advocate about spaying and neutering and animal abuse. When you take on a animal they are family not throw aways when your'e tired of them or can't afford them anymore. Animals suffer. I speak for those who have no voice.
Where is the video? Everyone loves stupid viral cat videos.
I have a stray rescue kitty that may have been a "Hemingway" kitty in that he has multiple toes on all four paws.
I named him Faux Pax.
Faux Pax is dumb as jello but he is beautiful to me and I just love him. I have 2 other cats who were also rescue cats. One is a drop-dead georgeous Egyptian Mau who is smarter than me. The other, Julian, is a hunter who makes friends with every nocturnal critter who wanders into my yard. Currently he is BFF with an armidillo.
Gotta love em...
@ lady d-753561
Hmmm . . . don't you mean "faux paw"?
Nope. Faux Pax (Am I wrong?) in French means "mistake".
Faux is in no way a mistake. It was just a play on words.
'Dumb as jello!' Gotta remember that! LOL!!
My girl Morgan is very smart, but a friend of mine has a cat that makes doorknobs look like geniuses.
I do believe that the extra toes could be an advantage in hunting mice and other prey. Better to get a good hold. There are also some disadvantages but he just has to learn to avoid any problems. This is how evolution works, a trait giving advantage in life soon becomes the norm. Best hopes for Daniel.
I had Waylane who had 7 toes on each front paw and 5 on each back paw. He was a sugar plum.
What a cool cat and a happy story
Dissect it. We need to see what's going on inside of the cat.
Oh gosh Moe...don't I just want to smack you upside your head right now?
That was rhetorical....
How about we dissect you! I have a cat that could do it in one swipe. She is also a poly, 14 years old, 14 pounds of muscle and a total of 13 toes and well sharpened claws on the two front feet. "Sic um" Maria!
Moe's jealous this kitty's much more intelligent and cuter than "it" (Moe) will ever be. Eat your heart out Moe, you'll never get as much attention or love.
Let's all dissect Moe. This is why I like animals more then people. I speak for those who have no voice!
Well that brought a smile to my face ..on an otherwise dismal day here....nice
As long as he can still give people the finger.
I rescued a family of cats. My daughter was unable to provide them care. So I stepped in and took over.
I have a mother, and 3 of her kids..............2 males and 2 females...........just right. They get lots of love, attention, cat food, and cat treats. I am a huge animal lover!!! Love dogs too. They are all fixed too. Her daughter is a calico, a beautiful cat. I also donated money to a local animal shelter.
I volunteer and also donate to my local animal shelter.