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The answer is YES!  There are so many reasons why we love to visit the Hemingway House cats in Key West, Florida, and, of course, the Ernest Hemingway Home Museum too! 

Since I have been there before, toured the house, and followed around the cats, I didn’t think that I needed to visit again during my recent trip in May. However, as I walked past those uneven brick walls surrounding that beautiful home on Whitehead street, I couldn’t resist.  And I am so glad that I did because it really is one of my happy places.

Let me tell you why!

The Hemingway Home Key West

The Hemingway Home Museum, a National Historical Landmark in Key West, Florida, is a popular (and quite iconic) Key West tourist destination, even if you aren’t a cat person.  Key West, as a whole, is iconic!  Forever a safe harbor for wandering souls, dreamers, and the ones who are over it all.  I am not exactly sure what “it” is. But, I like to think it’s the rat race, expectations, distractions, and the like. 

While Key West has always attracted people for various reasons. There are many who stumbled upon Key West and realized that it’s exactly what they have been looking for! 

I am actually reading Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All The Way right now. I find Jimmy and Ernest to be similar in so many ways. I am sure most of the people who end up in Key West have similar stories to tell.   For these reasons and more, it’s one of my favorite places.  Key West is just bursting with character!

History of the Ernest Hemingway Home

Hemingway landed in Key West in 1928 with his new wife Pauline. They quickly fell in love with fishing. They were easily welcomed into the island’s social circle and felt at home in Key West – the southernmost spot in the continental USA.  Just three years later, in 1931, they purchased the home that we now call the Hemingway Home.

Actually, it was Pauline Hemingway’s Uncle Gus who actually purchased the property for them for just $8000.  At that point, the house was already 80 years old and in disrepair.

They spent years renovating and remodeling the home into basically what you see when you visit today, complete with many of his souvenirs still adorning each room!  The couple lived there until they divorced in 1040. Then, Hemingway decided to make Cuba his new home, making sure to come back to Key West often to visit.

But maybe the most interesting thing he left behind in that house is the Hemingway House cats!

The Hemingway House Cats

At the risk of sounding too sentimental, I honestly get a little emotional when I visit the Hemingway House.  I find so much beauty in the fact that here we have an iconic home, almost untouched since Ernest Hemingway wrote some of his most well-known pieces there in his studio, with short stanchions protecting the bed, controlling the crowds, yet providing a welcome retreat for the cats.  It’s as poetic and fascinating as the author himself was!

If Ernest could see it now, I think that he would surely get a kick out of watching the cats lie on the bed, showing off their six toes, while onlookers photograph the scene as if it’s no big deal.  It’s just so different than any other museum in America, but Ernest Hemingway wasn’t just any other writer in America either.

So, why the cats?  Well, Hemingway, who has always been a cat person, made friends with a local ship captain, and it was he who first gave the Hemingway family a cat they called Snow White.  And she wasn’t just any old cat; she had six toes! Those were thought to be good luck among sailors. 

It’s said that many of the cats on the island, especially the six-toed cats, are related to Snow White.  Whether that’s true or not, we don’t know for sure, but what we do know is that there are 60 cats living at the Hemingway House, and a handful (no pun intended) do have six toes.

What Are 6 Toed Cats Called?

In this blog post, I refer to them as six-toed cats because why not? The official name for them is polydactyl.  You see, most cats have five front toes and four back toes, but a polydactyl cat has an extra toe on its front (and sometimes back)  paws.  Some people say that it looks like they are wearing mittens or that they have a thumb, much like we do!  This is a genetic trait, and about half of the cats on site are polydactyl, or six toed cats.

And while Polydactyl is a genetic trait, it’s not an actual breed of cat and can appear in any breed, which is why the Hemingway House cats all look so different.

Naming the Hemingway House Cats

Ernest Hemingway had cats as a child and often sought the companionship of a feline. It seems that after the arrival of Snow White, Hemingway fell even more head over heels. He took on any and all cats that crossed his path, often calling them his “purr-factories” and “love sponges.”   

It’s said that in his lifetime, he was “papa” to hundreds of cats, and at one time, almost 60 cats shared his Cuban residence with him!  He was often quoted saying, “One cat just leads to another,” and maybe that’s why I am writing this post.  We have several cats who have found their way into our home and honestly bring us so much joy!

Hemingway had a habit of naming all of his cats after famous people, and the Hemingway House still honors that tradition today!  so we follow that same tradition today.  This is Billie Holiday, one of my favorites!

Are the Hemingway House Cats Feral?

I had to laugh a little when I saw a mother tell her young children to stay away from the “feral cats” during my last visit to the Hemingway Home.   Because while they do have free reign of the homestead, the Hemingway cats have daily veterinary care and are probably some of the healthiest and most loved cats in the world! 

When you visit, you will see caregivers on site who care for the cats and perform routine animal health maintenance, as well as administer vaccinations, ear mite and flea treatments, and more. It’s quite a contrast from the stray cats in Athens, Greece!

Visiting the Hemingway Home Key West – Cats and All!

If you find yourself in Key West, Florida, you need to visit the Hemingway Home.  There is a reason why people like me come through once and then find themselves going back time after time.  It’s just such a special place.  Don’t forget to swing into the gift short to purchase everything from Ernest Hemingway books to cat magnets and everything in between!  Say hi to Billie Holiday for me!

Also, there is a Hemingway Cats app that you can download prior to your visit that shares the cats’ names and helps you identify them.

Hemingway Home Hours and Admission Price

You should plan to spend about 1-2 hours visiting the Hemingway House, taking the tour, browsing the gift shop, and, of course, looking for cats! 

You could easily spend more or less time, and it’s a very casual and small setting.  I have seen people sit and read a book in the gardens, watching the sun reflect off the iconic pool.  Hemingway put it in himself, and it’s said that there is a penny in the concrete surrounding it.  He put it there after saying that the project cost him every last penny he had!

Hemingway Home Location

And if it’s your first visit to Key West, Florida, the hop-on and off-trolley is a great way to see the area! You can read more about the trolley tour and conch train here. 

The Hemingway Home and Museum is located at 907 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040.  They can be reached by phone at 305-294-1136.   It’s an easy walk from many of the Key West hotels and vacation rentals, and there is even a Key West Old Town Trolley Stop just out front. 

Hemingway Home Museum Hours

The Hemingway Home is open for walk-in visits 365 days a year from 9 am – 5 pm.  Reservations are not required. Tickets are available on-site at the main gate, cash only.

Hemingway Home Museum Admission

Admission (which includes a free guided tour) is $17 for adults and $7 for children ages 6-12.  Children 5 and under are free.  The Hemingway Home only accepts cash, so you must make sure you have cash on hand before making your way over to visit.

Tours At The Hemingway Home Museum

Included with your admission is a 20-30-minute guided tour of the property, which I highly suggest you take! The guides are very knowledgeable and can point out so many interesting things that you may otherwise glance over.  The tour is not required, though, and you can explore the property on your own, including the gardens where the Hemingway Cats like to play!

I hope that you make your way to Key West, Florida — and the Hemingway Home soon!  And make sure to follow along because I have a few more blog posts in the works about my recent solo trip to Key West, including one about the Old Town Trolley Tours and another about my visit to the Harry S. Truman Little White House!

And make sure to check out my ultimate list of things to do in Key West with kids!

PIN our Hemingway House Cats post for later!