Through the Whitman County Humane Society foster program, a couple are charged with the care of a VERY rotund and pregnant polydactyl mama. While home alone, a squeamish man witnesses the immediate aftermath of 8 babies being born, saving one of them from outside of the crate. After sharing the birth story and pictures of the mama and her babies, several coworkers are inspired to start the adoption process to bring these polydactyl toe beans into their homes.
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In the midst of lockdown, the Whitman County Humane Society asked us to care for a very pregnant young cat we called "Mumford". She was so sweet and cute (even with her extra toe beans), how could we say no? So we took this hairy cantaloupe with legs and put her in the foster room, knowing full well that it was only a matter of days before we saw some newborn kitties. Several comments were made about how funny it would be if this birth happened while I was the only person in the house, and fate definitely has a sense of humor. As I sat at home, likely not doing anything productive, some suspicious squeaky noises started happening. In a house with 3 dogs and 2 cats suspicious noises are not uncommon, however these squeaks were a little more sus than usual. So, dreading what I knew I was about to see, I went down to the foster room.
I am a squeamish man.
Mumford, looking tired but relieved, lay there in her crate with 8 newborn babies. One of these poor babies somehow ended up on the outside of the crate. So, I take a deep breath, ignore all the things that would normally make me faint, and place this poor baby back in with the group, hoping that I don't pass out while holding it and that it doesn't get rejected. All turns out well though. Mumford was the best mama cat and took great care of all her babies: Jethro, Pearl, Ezra, Floyd, Pepper, Bizkit, Mac, and Queen (bonus points to anyone who can guess the theme and references of their names).
We normally like to share our foster stories with our coworkers but this one got special attention for 2 reasons: First, because everyone enjoys my discomfort. Second, because several of these adorable little kittens inherited their mama's polydactyl trait. Extra toe beans are extra adorable. After hearing the story and seeing some pictures, some of our coworkers were inspired to adopt. Their individual stories are below.
DAISY (The Cat Formerly Known as "Mumford") | Submitted & Written by Laurel Pacios-Rivera, Sr. HR Business Partner
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My co-workers were fostering Daisy and her kittens. Several of us followed the progress of the growing kittens and the young mama cat. I had it on good authority that the small mama cat would make a good pet, just what we had been looking for.
I met and adopted Daisy at the Whitman County Humane Society on September 30th. She was the last adoption of the day, and the 100th adoption of the month.
She had recently been fixed and was not in the most amenable of moods when I reached out to her in her cage. That quickly changed when she came home to rest and recover with us.
Daisy not only has the classic white paws against her fluffy gray tabby body, she is polydactyl with 6 toes. This makes her paws look like super-sized Uggs! Daisy has grown to be quite rotund and relaxed. Her favorite position is lying on the bed, on her belly, with her back legs splayed out to either side. She has become quite the communicator – letting us know when the dog needs to be let in, or if there is a bird or a rabbit outside the window. She has clearly found a home and we have found a wonderful pet.
EZRA | Submitted & Written by Shelly Howenstine, Quality Director
Meet Ezra! He was a kitten fostered by my coworkers, Amanda and Phil. He is the sweetest ball of fluff there could ever be. I adopted him 2 ½ years ago to be a companion for my old man Moose. His quirky personality, disheveled fur, polydactyl toes, and kitten energy make for a constant source of entertainment and occasional trouble. He loves carrying things around in his mouth- toy mice, wool dryer balls, fridge magnets, and I even saw him with a spool of kitchen twine once! He greets me with purrs and meows when I come home from work and loves to make biscuits with his big, fluffy feet. He has so many adorable features, but my favorite is his little white vampire teeth that make an appearance every now and again. I love my baby!
ASTROBOT & SPYRO (Formerly Queen & Floyd) | Submitted & Written by Siddra Hines, Product Manager, Equine/Staff Veterinarian
As part of the VMRD polydactylcat family, these fabulous many-toed fluffycat brothers are the focus of much adoration in our household! Their favorite hobbies include flopping for belly rubs, long cuddles on the weekends, fitting into boxes, and showing off their toebeans.
Even though Astrobot and Spyro are named after video game characters, they still haven’t figured out how to work those game controllers with their cat-thumbs, but they enjoy watching!
