The main attraction in Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home (now a museum) is the cats. 59 of them! About half have six or more toes (polydactyls).
The story goes that a Massachusetts boat captain sailed into Key West with a white six-toed cat named Snowball. Hemingway became enamored with the cat, so when she had kittens, Captain Dexter of Massachusetts gave one to Hemingway for his sons. They named the kitten Snow White.
Hemingways is quoted as saying, “One cat just leads to another.”
The museum staff includes many world class cat ladies (and gentlemen) who love taking care of them and even sleep over in the museum with them during hurricanes.







I’m not even going to pretend to be a big Hemingway fan. I vaguely remember being forced to read “Old Man and the Sea.” I’m sure he was a great writer and all, but he did have four different wives (he divorced three of them). He also collected antique birthing and midwife chairs, which seems odd (and a bit creepy) for a man.

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I have read one of Hemingway’s books after being curious. This is going back some years ago, so I can’t remember the book title. But if you have seen the film City of Angels, then it’s that book title that appeared in a scene in that film.
After watching City of Angels too many times, I just got more curious in wanting to read that book. I enjoyed the book. 😊
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That’s good to know Liz. Thanks! I put “To Have and Have Not” on my list to read soon.
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I love it! That would be a great place to write!
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Another fascinating post – thank you. I’ve also battled with “The Old Man And The Sea” , but didn’t mind “The Sun Also Rises”. That’s enough Hemingway for me.
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Thanks May! I’m going to have to give one of his books another go
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Yup, a bit odd is right. As for Hemingway…I admire his clean, beautiful prose, but I am more of a Fitzgerald fan, especially of The Great Gatsby. I so enjoyed those cat photos.
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Thank Laurie. I loved Gatsby too. The cats are really cute.
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Those midwife chairs, yes, so creepy! Thanks for updating me on the state of the cats!! ❤
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