Rescue kitten born with four extra toes

Fingle inherited his extra toe from his father and uncle

A "truly gorgeous" kitten has been born with an extra four toes.

Fingle, who is in the care of Cats Protection in Somerset, has five toes on each paw - typically cats usually have four, making 20 in total.

The kitten is thought to have inherited his polydactyl trait from his father and uncle who both had extra toes.

Carers looking after Fingle and his siblings said his extra toes made him very good at climbing his favourite scratching post.

Fingle and his siblings have all found new homes

"We just need to be careful about his bedding, as he gets his claws well and truly stuck in towels, so needs to have a soft fleece blanket," said Ann Manners, joint co-ordinator at the charity's Taunton & Wellington branch.

Fingle was born on 4 February along with two brothers and one sister.

"Fingle is the only polydactyl in the litter," Ms Manners said.

"He is bigger than his siblings, and has been first to achieve most things, although walking was more by luck than judgment as he got his paws in the wrong order.

"The kittens all spend time stalking one another, followed by an airborne ambush and kitten play. They're like lambs, jumping in the air and racing around for no apparent reason."

Although the genetic condition is uncommon, polydactyl cats can be found across the UK, and in the majority of cases the extra digits are harmless to them.

Fingle, his siblings and his mother have all been reserved, and will go to their new homes once they have been neutered.