Meet Coco the stray cat with 26 toes!

London, Nov 23 : Though most cats normally have just 18 toes, Coco a stray cat found wondering the streets of Dursley, in Gloucestershire had 26!

It was a surprising discovery as normal cats have five toes on their front paws, and four at the back, but the jet-black cat had seven toes on each of her front feet and six on each of her back ones.

Coco was later handed over to Helen Munro, Cats Protection homing and welfare officer for the area.

"We've seen polydactyl cats with 23 or 24 toes before - but not with 26. It's really unusual," the Telegraph quoted Munro as saying.

"Sailors used to believe cats with extra toes were lucky and they always kept them on ships. Gloucester was a port and so polydactyl cats thrived in this area.

"So Coco is doubly-lucky as a black cat and a polydactyl as well," she said.

She was later handed over to cat fosterer Liz Dart, of Nailsworth, Gloucs., who is looking after her.

"I've never seen anything like it before," Dart said.

"Her feet look very funny and quite large but they don't bother her at all. She a lovely friendly cat and deserves a good home," she added.

If Coco's owners are not found within the next week, Cats Protection officers will start looking for a new home for her.

The record for the cat with the most toes is held by a feline called Mooch from Oakland, Maine, USA, which has 27 toes.

ANI