Polydactyl breeders

[northernglow]

There are no polydactyl breeders here. Polydactyl is not a breed and this site is pro-neuter to moggies (it's in the site rules). Only breeders with real pedigreed cats and breeding programs should be breeding cats.

Which registry you were breeding under? Ours doesn't allow outcrosses to Manx, or polydactyls to be bred or shown in any breed.

And what is a ginger cat?? I don't think I've ever heard of such thing? (This must be one of those Chevy things mrblanche was telling me about..)

 

[jennyr]

If you read back through this thread you will see that this is a controversial topic, and that although some breeds (like Maine Coons) are more prone to polydactylism t han others, it is not a thing most breeders would promote and in some breeds would actually disqualify a cat from being shown. IMO, a cat with both the tailless gene (whether a true Manx or not) and a polydactyl gene would be close to being deformed, could be in constant pain and should not be bred from.

 

[nekochan]

If you read back through this thread you will see that this is a controversial topic, and that although some breeds (like Maine Coons) are more prone to polydactylism t han others, it is not a thing most breeders would promote and in some breeds would actually disqualify a cat from being shown. IMO, a cat with both the tailless gene (whether a true Manx or not) and a polydactyl gene would be close to being deformed, could be in constant pain and should not be bred from.

Some forms of polydactylism are connected to other health problems, but not all are. For example the type that Maine Coons can carry is not associated with health problems at all and is not detrimental to their health. It also does not result in successive generations having more and more toes; generally they have one or two (less often 3) extra toes on a foot.

This has existed in the Maine Coon breed since the beginning, and according to what I have read it was originally going to be part of the breed standard. There are breeders trying to preserve it and people trying to get it accepted for championship status for showing. Currently (last I checked which was a while ago) TICA has accepted polydactyl Maine Coons in their "New Traits" class, and there are polydactyls being shown in that category. 

 

[jennyr]

Thank you for clarifying my post. I did not make it clear enough that MCs are different from other cats when it comes to Polydactylism.

 

[northernglow]

Thank you for clarifying my post. I did not make it clear enough that MCs are different from other cats when it comes to Polydactylism.

It depends on the organization, for example Fifé (the largest European cat registry) will not allow polydactylism in any breed, not even on Maine Coons. It's a disqualifying deformity.

 

[jennyr]

Thanks. It gets more and more complicated the more you delve into it! My brother in the UK actually has a longhaired polydactyl (not MC though), and fortunately he does not seem to suffer any bad effects.