In article >,
says...
> In article >,
> Tony P. > wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >
> > > Pretty boy. ;-)
> > > Looks annoyed tho.
> >
> > He's always been a bit of a cranky cat, particularly since Emily came
> > into the picture when he was 3.
>
> It's amazing isn't it how easy it is to interepret cat body language? ;-)
> They are SO expressive.
>
> >
> > > >
> > > > Emily:
> > > > http://members.cox.net/doctoryes/emilysit2.jpg
> > >
> > > URL not found?
> >
> > ooops - http://members.cox.net/doctoryes/emiysit2.JPG
>
> Uh, still 404?
>
> >
> > > >
> > > > Cosimo:
> > > > http://members.cox.net/doctoryes/cosimo3.JPG
> > >
> > > Well fed. ;-)
> > > We have a chubby gray like that named "Maris".
> > > Sweetest little girl on the face of the planet!
> > > She's our only obese kitty. Looks like a gray basketball with
> > > a little kitty head stuck on one end......
> >
> > He's the most laid back cat I've ever come across. Of course when one is
> > laying on the couch it's a bit uncomfortable when he wants some human
> > interaction time.
>
> <grins> I can imagine.
> I have one big yellow stripy tom named "Garfael" that weighs about 14
> lbs. He's not obese tho', he's just BIG!
>
> >
> > Interestingly he has two traits that lead me to believe he may have Main
> > Coon ancestry. First, he's got the extra toes (polydactyl) on his front
> > paws, and also has tufted fur growing from the pads of his feet. Those
> > are telltale Main Coon traits.
>
> Huh! I have a small long haired dark tiger with white markings that has
> the poofy hairs between the toes. (his name is Horus and he weighs about
> 4 lbs.)
>
> Manx's also tend to have extra toes.

Polydactilism is a trait that's particular to New England of all places.
History indicates that seagoing cats tended to be Maine Coons and as
they interbred that trait got passed along.