As someone who has her nose in a book more often then not, along with a cat in her lap, I was thrilled to learn that the famous author Ernest Hemingway was an avid cat lover. Cats are woven through his stories more often then I ever realized and discussed in his personal letters.
A Famous Author and Cat Lover
Ernest Hemingway feeding his cat Cristobal
Photo Credit: JFK Library
“Cat’s were put into the world to disprove the dogma that all things were created to serve man.” – Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway was given a cat by a ship captain, a six toed cat to be precise. You may be surprised to learn that the ancestors of that cat still live today at his home, turned museum, in Key West. Some with six toes and some not, as the gene appears only when it wants to; much like a cat, I might add.
I had a six toed cat growing up.
It looked like it had thumbs! It could open doors. It was rather creepy to lie in bed in the dark and watch my door slowly open, seeing no one actually enter the room, and then suddenly be pounced on by a sneaky Siamese! Reading about Hemingway’s beloved cats brought back fond memories of my fur baby, Cocoa.
Hemingway’s sons began the tradition of naming their kittens after famous movie stars, the first being Snow White. That tradition has stuck and the cats of the museum still bear famous names. I would love to see the kitty graveyard to see if there are little head stones bearing the names Frank Sinatra and Zsa Zsa Gabor. The last kitty to be buried there was Marilyn Monroe. Since then the cats that cross the rainbow bridge are cremated.
These cats are treated like royalty, allowed to lounge on Hemingway’s furniture people are not even allowed to use, it is it their home after all, and they are fed well with frequent check ups by vets; more than most house cats! A select few are bred to keep the tradition going, but the rest are spayed and neutered. There was a legal battle a couple years ago, but these cats are so well cared for, it was just ridiculousness. You can learn more about it, but I was too disinterested to remember the details. What interests me is that a famous author I admire loved cats just as I do and that kitty descendants are allowed to live on in his honor at his homestead. What a cool, unexpected thing!
I even have a candid photo like the one above; just as dignified. Who knew we were so much alike?
I love to learn weird and unusual facts about history.
Especially when it’s a historical figure I admire. A famous writer who loves cats, now I can relate to that. Well, the later part anyway. Perhaps there’s hope for me in the future. I would hope to come to a better end then Hemingway, but I hope to publish novels in the future.
What Sparked this Intrigue?
How did I come by such a random, but welcome distraction from current issues of the day?
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I’ve read about the 6 toed cats living at Hemingway’s house, really interesting. This is the first I’m hearing about Paw Culture, sounds like an interesting read.
We had a Hemingway like kitty years ago, her name was Paws. Well, that was her nickname, and those paws we big! Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
My human has never gotten to live with a polydactyl cat – and she has the same birthday as Hemingway.