None of us mind sweet kitties 'tiptoe'-ing around the corner in our home. But what if the kitty in question comes with extra toes?
For those who didn't understand, let us clarify a bit. A Maine Coon kitten has been discovered to have as many as… 29 toes! Now, that's a little extra, right?
Meet Erebus Anomaly, the Wisconsin-born kitten in question. His unusual features have earned him official recognition from Guinness World Records. Talk about 'toe'-ing the line!
So, why did this happen? Well, Erebus' remarkable number of toes is linked to polydactyly. It is a genetic trait that causes animals to develop additional digits.
A vast majority of cats have 18 toes in total, five on each front paw and four on each hind paw. However, polydactyl cats can have considerably more in number.
This condition is particularly associated with Maine Coon cats. Now, the sight of a cat with so many toes can look unusual. This does not automatically mean that the animal is unhealthy. Many polydactyl cats lead ordinary, active lives.
This feature appears to be hereditary. His biological father reportedly had six toes on each foot, which meant that he carried an impressive 24 toes himself. Erebus appears to have inherited the trait, and then taken it a step further.
His owners, Kendra Vandenbloomer and Hunter Nett, run BlueNorthern Maine Coons in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. According to reports, they noticed Erebus' extraordinary paws soon after his birth. They realized that he could potentially create a new record.
However, the kitten's path toward international recognition was far from easy. At one point, it even took an unexpected and frightening turn.
Erebus began breathing through his mouth, prompting his owners to seek emergency veterinary care. The tiny kitten was subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia.
His condition was so serious that veterinarians placed him inside an oxygen machine to assist his breathing. He also had to be put on medication.
For his owners, it was a tough time, as they feared that the young kitten might not survive.
Fortunately, Erebus proved to be remarkably resilient. He eventually recovered from the illness. It turned a terrifying medical emergency into the beginning of an extraordinary chapter in his life. His owners have described his recovery as a very "miraculous" one.
There was also an unexpected benefit to the emergency examination. During his treatment, veterinarians took X-rays of Erebus. Those images later became important evidence when his owners sought official recognition for his unusual anatomy.
The X-rays helped document exactly how many digits the kitten had, supporting his application for Guinness World Records recognition. And it supported his Guinness World Records application.
On May 13, Guinness officially confirmed Erebus as the new record holder after it was confirmed that he had 29 toes.
Before Erebus, a Canadian cat named Jake had established that number in 2002. It was subsequently matched by another cat named Toby, from Michigan.
Erebus matched that record with his own 29 toes, becoming the latest cat to receive the Guinness title.
His achievement is certainly unusual. However, his owners say they never viewed him simply as a potential record-breaking animal. He is, first and foremost, a beloved member of their family.
The timing of his achievement makes his story even more remarkable. This was the same health scare that initially put his life in danger. And it ultimately took a U-turn and resulted in the veterinary documentation that helped establish his record.
His owners reflected on that unexpected connection through Erebus' social media account. They noted how extraordinary it was that one of the most frightening periods of his life ultimately became the starting point for his record-breaking journey.
In spite of the attention surrounding their unusual cat, Vandenbloomer and Nett have no intention of giving Erebus up. When New York Post reporters asked them whether they would rehome the famous kitten, their answer was pretty straightforward.
"He's staying with us," Vandenbloomer said, "he's a gorgeous boy." Erebus may have more toes than any other cat officially recognized by Guinness. However, his story is about much more than an unusual pair of paws. He survived a serious illness, beat the odds and emerged as a record holder.
For this remarkable Maine Coon, those 29 little toes aren't merely a curiosity. They are a part of a remarkable journey. They are a testament to the fight Erebus put up to reach at this stage of his life.