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The famously eloquent Ernest Hemingway once remarked, “one cat simply leads to another,” a phrase that perfectly captures the essence of his love for cats. While he was referring to the numerous cats at his Cuban estate, Finca, the same could be said about his residence in Key West, Florida. Today, the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum at 907 Whitehead Street is home to 40 to 50 cats. (“Every room is filled with cats, so avoid visiting if you have allergies,” a TripAdvisor reviewer cautions.) Here are some fascinating facts about these iconic felines.
1. Nearly half of Hemingway's cats are polydactyl.
Polydactyl cats possess extra toes, a unique trait. While most cats have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws, the Hemingway House and Museum website explains that “approximately half of the museum’s cats exhibit the polydactyl trait, though all carry the gene in their DNA. This means even cats with the standard number of toes can produce six-toed kittens. Extra toes are typically found on the front paws, and occasionally on the back, giving some cats a mitten-like appearance as if they have thumbs.”
2. The gene responsible for the extra toes in Hemingway's cats is named after a popular video game character.
As explained by Kat Arney in her book Herding Hemingway’s Cats, the extra toes are caused by “a mutation in the control switch of a gene named Sonic Hedgehog, which, indeed, takes its name from the iconic video-game character.”
Arney notes that two German scientists first named the gene after observing fruit fly larvae with a specific mutation that made them “short and bristly,” leading them to choose the name “hedgehog.” In the 1990s, researchers identified three versions of the hedgehog gene in mammals. Bob Riddle, inspired by his daughter’s comic book, named the third variant Sonic, after the famous hedgehog character.
3. Hemingway’s initial polydactyl cat was reportedly named Snow White (or Snowball)—or so the legend suggests.
In Hemingway’s Cats, Carlene Fredericka Brennen mentions that Hemingway’s son, Patrick, once claimed his father never owned a cat in Key West. However, a neighbor later recounted that “their family had several polydactyl cats, which might have been ancestors of the cats now famously known as ‘Hemingway’s Cats’ in Key West.”
However, The Hemingway House and Museum website states that Hemingway was gifted a six-toed white cat by a ship’s captain, and many of the cats at his Key West residence are descendants of that feline. A 1985 piece in the Fort Lauderdale News recounted a guest’s story where a guide shared, “One evening at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, Ernest and a sea captain got drunk, and the captain handed over a multi-toed cat from his ship.”
4. Hemingway’s cats boast imaginative names.
According to the Hemingway House and Museum website, Hemingway named his cats after notable figures, a practice the museum continues. Cats have been named after personalities like Zane Grey, Marilyn Monroe, president “Hairy” Truman, Fats Waller, Kermit “Shine” Forbes, Truman Capote, Bugsy Siegel, Billie Holiday, and Cary Grant. As tour guide Jessica Pita explained to radio host Arden Moore, the staff votes to decide on the names.
5. Every cat at Hemingway’s house is born on the property.
Pita told Moore, “All the cats here are born here.” To manage their numbers, “each female cat is allowed one litter; we have a tomcat for breeding, and then they are spayed or neutered. We maintain a population of 40 to 50 cats. During Hemingway’s time, the numbers were unpredictable, with reports sometimes mentioning over 70 or 80 cats.”
6. Hemingway’s cats undergo yearly health examinations.
Concerned individuals need not worry about the cats’ well-being—they are in excellent hands. Dr. Edie Clark, their veterinarian, visits the museum weekly to monitor the cats and conduct routine care, including treatments for ear mites, flea control, deworming, and annual vaccinations, as detailed on the museum’s website.
7. Hemingway’s cats became the focus of a federal dispute.
The conflict began in 2003 when a visitor, worried about the cats’ welfare, filed a complaint with federal authorities, as reported by NPR. The USDA argued that the museum was displaying the cats without the appropriate license, which it couldn’t obtain due to the requirement that animals be confined. Museum staff alleged that USDA agents posed as tourists to secretly photograph and record the cats, according to CBS.
The agency threatened daily fines of $200 per cat (up to $10,000) or removal of the cats. The museum sought federal court intervention. An independent animal behaviorist later recommended that the cats, who appeared healthy and well-cared for, could remain if a special fence was installed. The museum agreed, and the cats stayed.
8. One of Hemingway’s cats once faced “imprisonment.”
In 2016, Martha Gellhorn—a gray tabby named after Hemingway’s third wife, not the war correspondent—bit a tourist (who seemingly misunderstood cat body language) and was temporarily quarantined at the vet’s office. “This was a first, and the tourist was overly aggressive with the cat,” the museum’s manager explained to the Miami Herald. “These cats are like family to our 32 employees, who treat them as pets five days a week.” After a 10-day quarantine, Martha was released and returned to the museum, with her caretakers describing her as “a sweetheart.”
9. Catnip can create issues for Hemingway’s cats.
“Catnip actually poses a challenge for us,” Pita told Moore. “Visitors often want to bring catnip to interact with the cats, but with 45 cats around, conflicts can arise when multiple cats go after the same toy. It can lead to minor scuffles.” She advised against bringing catnip or treats, as the cats follow a specific diet. “We request that visitors avoid picking up the cats, but petting is encouraged. Most cats will happily sit on your lap if you take a seat, and we’re perfectly fine with that,” she added.
10. Hemingway’s cats weathered Hurricane Irma.
When Hurricane Irma threatened the Florida Keys in 2017, a complete evacuation was ordered, but 10 staff members chose to remain with the cats. “As we gathered the cats to bring them indoors, many of them instinctively ran inside, sensing it was time to seek shelter,” curator Dave Gonzales shared with MSNBC. “Sometimes I believe they’re more perceptive than humans.”
The staff and the 54 cats endured the storm together. “The cats are familiar with our voices and care. We share a bond—they trust us, and we adore them. We all stayed together,” Gonzales explained. The museum’s sturdy limestone walls provided safety, and they had generators, food, water, and medical supplies ready.
11. Hemingway’s cats are buried on the museum’s property.
As reported by the Herald-Tribune, when Hemingway’s cats pass away, they are buried in the gardens behind the house. “The graves are marked with simple concrete stones, each inscribed with the names of the departed cats, including those named after famous figures: Willard Scott, who died at 12 in 1988; Kim Novak, who lived to 22 before passing in 1997; and Gremlin (1986-2005).”
