thank you all for the kind advice! i've been a pet of the day fan for years and it's a pleasure to feel like a part of the family!

in regards to wayne's reply - the female, miko, has let me massage her paws since kitten-hood. ian, the male, just recently has let me stroke his paws and rub the pads of his paws. i guess you could say that he's "coming around." i hate to see the fur fly, but from what you all have said from your experiences, this is not only normal, but keeps ian on his toes!

thanks to all of you for giving me some peace of mind! kitty kisses to all!