Thank you, Jessica. Obviously, no matter what I say to them, their furniture is more important.

I've been thinking a lot about compassion: is it something learned through education and/or example? Or is it a gift from God? If it's learned, than I've failed my son and his pets. If it's a gift, I surely wish God would give it to everyone! I don't know the answer. it's such a two-edged sword: it's a great blessing to the recipients of compassionate acts, but it can cause such pain when the compassionate one is helpless. I still think of it as a gift; perhaps the pain involved is a sort of penance for whatever sins I've committed.

I emailed my son and asked if they could at least give the little girl a chance - buy her some scratching surfaces, teach her to use them, see if that works before amputating her toes. His response was, "We'll see how it goes. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this." NOT! I will never, ever agree to anything involving cruelty to animals.