Lansing Cat Ties World Record with 28 Toes

When Delaney Henderson adopted a polydactyl cat from a Michigan rescue two years ago, she expected a few extra toes. What she got was a world record holder named Toby with 28 toes and 30 claws.

Most cats have 18 toes total, but Toby has seven on each paw. His name is short for Toe Beans, and his paws look like something out of a cartoon. One resembles two feet fused together, another looks like a heart, and one of his thumbs curls over his foot like a human hand.

Henderson already had another polydactyl cat named Connie when she saw Toby's adoption posting. The listing just said "polydactyl" without mentioning how many extra toes he had. "I think they're so cute, but for a person who's never seen a polydactyl cat, it's kind of freaky to look at," Henderson admitted.

After adopting Toby, Henderson learned that a cat in Canada named Jake had set the record in the early 2000s with 28 toes. She reached out to Guinness World Records and applied for Toby to tie the achievement. He officially earned the title last year, and his story has been going viral across social media ever since.

The biggest challenge isn't the fame. "He's got 30 claws, so that's been more of a headache because he hates getting his claws trimmed, and it's a lot of work," Henderson said.

Sunny's Take

The best part about this story might be Toby's complete indifference to his celebrity status. Henderson says people come over wanting to touch and look at his famous feet, and she thinks he's getting a little self-conscious. She's shared adorable photos of him staring at his world record certificate, but "obviously he can't read, so he's just like normal."

As for Connie, Toby's non-biological sister with her own extra toes? "Connie doesn't know either that she should be jealous of her little brother," Henderson joked.

Henderson says her hands are full with both cats and their extra digits, so no more pets are planned for the immediate future. But she wouldn't mind if her next furry friend also came with a few bonus toes.

For now, Toby continues living his best life in Lansing, blissfully unaware that thousands of people are scrolling past his remarkable paws on their feeds every day.