7 Places That Have Become Completely Overrun With Cats

Publish date: 2024-05-24

The Hemingway Home And Museum In Key West

In 1931, the uncle of Ernest Hemingway's second wife purchased the couple a house on Key West, Florida. It's now become a museum — and a haven for cats. Steven Miller/Flickr Steven Miller/Flickr There are about 40 to 50 cats living around the home. All of them were allegedly descended from the author's first cat, Snow White.Steven Miller/Flickr Steven Miller/Flickr Ernest Hemingway's first cat was said to have been a gift from a sea captain, who owned an unusual six-toed kitty. Cats with six toes are called polydactyl.Christine Riggle/Flickr The cats are found all over the estate. They come in a variety of sizes and colors.Todd Van Hoosear/Flickr Hemingway's six-toed cat then reproduced, leading to a horde of six-toed cats around the property.Steven Miller/Flickr In fact, the distinct six-toed trait is found among at least half of the cats on the property. rjcox/Flickr Not all of the Hemingway cats have six toes, but it's believed that all of them do carry the polydactyl gene, meaning they can still produce offspring that possess the unusual trait.Steven Miller/Flickr Steven Miller/Flickr All of Hemingway's cats are named after famous people. Among the kitties are Pablo Picasso, Audrey Hepburn, and "Hairy Truman."Steven Miller/Flickr Todd Van Hoosear/Flickr A lot of cat decorations can be found around the house-turned-museum as well. One of the most unique objects is an old urinal that Hemingway turned into a cat bowl. He apparently got the urinal from one of his favorite pubs.Steven Miller/Flickr Cat Sleeping On Bed Check Out The Hemingway House In Florida View Gallery

Head to Key West, Florida, and you'll find the Hemingway Home and Museum. Though the house was once home to the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway, it's not just a tourist attraction for fans of his work — it's also a draw to cat lovers.

Hemingway and his second wife, Pauline, moved into the Spanish Colonial-style house om 1931 after Pauline's uncle gifted it to them. But ever since the literary giant moved in with his polydactyl (six-toed) cat, the island has been overrun with its kin.

Indeed, the 40 to 50 cats that now run the property, which has since been turned into a museum, are all believed to be descended from Hemingway's pet Snow White. She was allegedly also a gift from a sea captain whom Hemingway knew.

According to the museum's website, not all of the cats living at the house show the polydactyl trait, but all of them are believed to carry the polydactyl gene. This means they can still produce six-toed offspring.

The Hemingway Home and Museum has garnered a quirky reputation because of the pack of cats that commune there. They are spotted throughout the estate, lounging in the gardens, in the flower beds, or by the pool, which was the first in-ground pool constructed in the city.

Hemingway's cats range in size and color. There are tabbies, tortoiseshell, and calicos, among others. All of the cats are named after famous people, a tradition that's been kept up since Hemingway's death. Some of the names include Audrey Hepburn, Pablo Picasso, and "Hairy Truman."

Hemingway's polydactyl cats still roam his house in the Florida Keys.

The cats are docile and friendly toward visitors. Sometimes they will respond when called by their name.

There are a number of cat-centric items around the Hemingway house, such as the lace curtains which were made in the pattern of a cat. One of the strangest objects, though, is the cat drinking fountain that was installed by the author himself.

The giant cat bowl is actually an old urinal taken from Hemingway's favorite jaunt, Sloppy Joe's bar. His wife allegedly hated the recycled cat bowl and "decorated" it by attaching an old Spanish jar and tiling to the sides. The Hemingway cats still use it to drink.

There's also a big cat house that was constructed in the shape of the Hemingway house, where visitors can see the cats sleeping in their own kitty compartments.

Museum officials note that the house isn't the only place you'll find Hemingway's cats. The city of Key West is a small island town so many cats inhabit other parts of the island as well. Because it's such a small community, many of these cats are likely also descended from Hemingway's first cat.

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