An unusual cat is assisting a Wisconsin animal rescue center in raising funds to move to a new location.
Daniel, an orange-and-white tabby, has two additional toes on each paw as a result of a polydactylism mutation. He has 26 in total.
Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center, whose rent would be quadrupled on January 1, requested tiny donations of $26 (£17), one dollar per toe.
A total of $86,000 has been raised so far, with $50,000 coming from tiny donations.
The shelter, which takes in animals that would otherwise be euthanized, has previously stated that it would be unable to reach the new rent level for its location in a Milwaukee shopping mall.
It has been raising money to help buy a new building so that it can relocate permanently, and it now claims to have the funds to do so thanks to a slew of $26 donations.
Cats have 18 toes in all, five in each of their front two paws and four in each of their hind paws. Daniel is two toes short of the world record with his total of 26.
Daniel was discovered by Amy Rowell, the owner of the rescue center, at animal control in October while picking up another cat.
The future mascot of the shelter poked her in the head as she bent down to that cat’s cage.
She told the Associated Press news agency, “He was very plainly stating, ‘I need to be saved, I’d like to be your friend, please pay attention to me.”
“When a sign is that clear, we don’t tend to disregard it.”
The former residence of Ernest Hemingway, who received a six-toed cat from a ship captain, now houses some of the most famous polydactyl animals. The Key West mansion and museum is home to around 50 cats, roughly half of whom are polydactyl.
Jake, the current record holder, lives in Ontario, Canada, according to Guinness World Records.
