Tortietude

Allow me to introduce you to Kayla, my polydactyl tortoiseshell cat. A tortoiseshell (or tortie) is a color pattern, not a breed, and they are a beautiful combination of orange and black fur that is intermixed all over their bodies with an occasional splotch of orange here and there. They are similar to calicoes which have large patches of orange, black and white solid-colored fur. Torties are almost always female and they always have an attitude.

OK, you're saying, I get what a tortie is, but what's this about a polydactyl? Polydactyl cats have an extra toe on each paw, often making their front paws look like mittens. They have been popular with seafarers and with Ernest Hemingway, who owned several polydactyls at his home in Key West, Florida. Polydactyl cats can be quite dextrous and can pick up things with their paws that most other cats can't.

Kayla is a true tortie -- loving and affectionate one minute, crazily racing around the house like Stitch the next. She's smart and stubborn and very determined -- and very adorable. As this blog will testify, there is never a dull moment with Kayla.