So many toe beans, so little time.
A Maine Coon kitten named Erebus Anomaly has tiptoed into the record books for being born with 29 toes, the most ever counted on a cat.
His overflowing bounty of digits is due to a genetic abnormality called polydactyly, which causes some cats to be born with unusually high numbers of toes, according to the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, which notes Maine Coons are particularly susceptible.
The previous Guinness World Record of 28 was set in 2002 by a Canadian cat named Jake, which was then matched in March by Toby, a feline from Michigan.
The trait evidently runs in the bloodline, as Erebus Anomaly’s biological father was born with six toes on each foot — giving him six more in total than the normal allotment of 18 pads per puss.
His owners, Kendra Vandenbloomer and Hunter Nett of Kaukauna, Wisc., who run a breeding cattery operation called BlueNorthern Maine Coons, told local news outlet WFRV they knew he might have a shot at the record as soon as he was born and got their first eyeful of his excess protuberances.
Erebus’ road to the world record was set off by a health emergency after his owners noticed he was breathing through his mouth.
An emergency vet diagnosed him with pneumonia and placed the tiny kitten in an oxygen machine, loading him up with medication, Vandenbloomer and Nett told World News Now that they had serious concerns the little guy wasn’t going to pull through.
But despite toeing the line with the great beyond, Erebus defied the odds, in what his owners called a “definitely miraculous” recovery.
X-rays taken of Erebus at the emergency clinic would later serve as unimpeachable documentation that he was the rightful record holder, and were sent along with the application to Guinness.
The organization made it official on May 13 that Erebus’ abundance of phalanges was indeed a record-setter and adding it to their website.
“It’s crazy to think that one of the scariest times in his life led right into the beginning of his world record journey,” read a message on Erebus’ social media page created by Vandenbloomer and Nett.
They said no way when asked by ABC’s Danny New whether they were planning on rehoming Erebus.
“He’s staying with us,” Vandenbloomer replied. “He’s a gorgeous boy.”
