Not only was Ernest Hemingway fond of cats, but his name has become synonymous with a particular feline genetic mutation, one that causes cats to have extra toes. While these polydactyl cats are not an actual breed, they are often referred to as, “Hemingway Cats,” in his honor.
It all started down in Key West, where Ernest Hemingway lived in the 1930’s with his second wife, their kids and, rumor has it, a polydactyl Maine Coon named Snowball. The cat was given to him by a local sea captain. While it’s unclear how many cats shared Hemingway’s Florida home, his affection for cats is well documented.
Check out Ernest Hemingway and his Cats for some really cute photos. I can’t tell how many toes the cats in these photos have, but I love how they’re wandering around, sitting on the author’s typewriter and writing projects. There’s even one of Hemingway sharing a piece of corn on the cob with a kitty!
Hemingway’s Cats Protected in his Will
Although Ernest Hemingway committed suicide back in 1961 while living up in Idaho, his will stipulated that his polydactyl crew of cats down in Florida continue to be cared for after his death. Today, more than 50 cats dwell in his Key West home, which is also a museum in his honor. Since Ernest liked to name the cats after movie stars and famous historical figures, the Hemingway Home and Museum staff (which includes a veterinarian as well as cat-caretakers) continues this playful tradition.
Hemingway House Museum in Key West, Florida (photo by Tui Snider)
Hemingway Cat Law Suit
In December of 2012, the Hemingway Home and Museum lost a lengthy legal battle with the United States government. As a result, the museum is required to obtain a Federal Animal Welfare License for the cats and have them regulated by the government as if they were circus animals. I haven’t delved into the legalese too deeply, but it seems a bit strange. When I visited, the animals were happily lounging, looked healthy and seemed well-fed, but they certainly weren’t performing by any stretch of the imagination; they were just being cats!
Hemingway cat in Key West, Florida (photo by Tui Snider)
Other Bloggers Love Hemingway Cats, Too!
I’m not the only blogger who is enchanted by the Hemingway cats. Check out these wonderful posts I found on the web:
Jacob over at The Carpet Bagger visited the Hemingway Home and Museum and noted that, “The historical tour pretty much degenerated into tourists petting and snuggling with cats while ignoring everything the guide had to say.”
Lucy Burdette who writes at Jungle Red Writers befriended one of the cat caretakers at the Key West museum and describes the behind-the-scenes tour she took when she visited.
Christina Hardcastle of Christina Hardcastle Photography shares a great set of photos she took when she visited the Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Florida.
Hemingway cat in Key West, Florida (photo by Tui Snider)
What about you?
Have you ever been to Key West, visited the Hemingway Home and Museum or seen a polydactyl cat?
To read about more weird, offbeat, and overlooked places, check out my Amazon Best Seller, Unexpected Texas.
For ghost hunting hot spots, check out my recently-released travel guide to haunted places, Paranormal Texas. Happy travels!
Sunset & palm trees along the Florida Keys (photo by Tui Snider)
I’ve got Florida on my mind
Why am I posting a photo essay about Florida all of a sudden? My pal Morgan Dragonwillow recently vacationed there, so now I’m daydreaming about a road trip down the Intercoastal Highway…
I snapped these shots while dining near Key West. I can’t recall the name of the place, but it was a beachfront restaurant on a pier jutting into the clear, blue water. The joint was jumping, and the servers did a great job keeping up with the frenzy. They didn’t just have humans to wait on, either. Shortly before sunset a school of hungry fish showed up – a group of regulars including a small shark – and they expected to be fed, too!
Sunset & palm trees along the Florida Keys (photo by Tui Snider)
Daydreaming about Unexpected Florida
Florida is full of offbeat and overlooked places, and I can hardly wait to return for a vacation/research trip. I’d love to write a quirky travel guide similar to Unexpected Texas, except this one would be called Unexpected Florida. (Bet ya saw that name coming, eh?)
If you know of any quirky places that should be included in a travel guide to offbeat and overlooked places in Florida, let me know.
I’ll take all the excuses for a Key West road trip I can get!
Sunset & palm trees along the Florida Keys (photo by Tui Snider)
My ROW80 Check-in: Writing Research is addictive!
Enough daydreaming! It’s time for a ROW80 check-in.
This is my first check-in this round, and it’s quite overdue. Row80 helps me focus, and that’s exactly what I need to do this week – make clear, definable goals because there is a lot I want to accomplish this summer.
First off, I am working on a new book called Paranormal Texas: Your Guide to Haunted Travel Destinations near Dallas & Fort Worth, which I plan to release in the fall. I’m already having a blast researching it! But I know from experience that writing research is a lot like gambling. I always think I’ll hit the jackpot if I keep at it just a little bit longer. If I’m not careful, I’ll fritter away all my writing time researching things, then find myself scrambling madly to catch up.
So, by next week’s ROW80, I plan to have a clear timeline laid out for the following:
– an ongoing marketing plan for Unexpected Texas
– a detailed timeline for getting the manuscript of Paranormal Texas written, including planning research trips, interviews, and other bits and bobs.
Hemingway cat in Key West, Florida (photo by Tui Snider)
The Old Man & the Polydactyl Cat
Not only was Ernest Hemingway fond of cats, but his name has become synonymous with a particular feline genetic mutation, one that causes cats to have extra toes. While these polydactyl cats are not an actual breed, they are often referred to as, “Hemingway Cats,” in his honor.
