I had a cat attack me about six years ago. I haven't trusted one since that time. The cat then went on to attack their older child, and still they did nothing. It wasn't until he went after their youngest that they dealt with it.

That cat attacking me was supposedly a fluke, too.

Much as I adore cats, that one would be on his way to the SPCA.

Ooooo! Serious sympathy and hugs to your niece. From the other posts and your responses, it may be that this was strictly and aberrant accident - with her between a territorial cat and an "interloper" kitten (much like me between Linus and Bastet last year). Still, when it's a child, and especially with her getting scratched in the face, I consider it a measured response that the cat is "only" getting declawed (as against that as I usually am) rather than being put down. (I am assuming here that the cat has long since been neutered as that can make a real difference. I will wear scars to my grave from when I was 10 and my best friend's family [unaltered mail Siamese] cat took exception to me being in her room alone and danced across my back while I cowered face down and tried to protect my head. He went on to attack her older brother's best friend as well before her parents acted...and, then, it was simply to put the poor beast down. *sigh*)

Anyhoo, send along my best wishes and a hug or three along with prayers for a very speedy, scarless recovery.

Kris

If you recall my previous holiday experience, I beleive that this is an opportune time to remind you of proper feline safety gear.

Steel toed boots and a good swift punt.

My normally incredibly sweet and friendly cat (may he rest in peace) once tried to kill my brother.

The rest of the family had been on vacation for a month or so, and the three cats at home were under the impression that everyone else had died or abandoned them and were never ever coming back. The two Persians were getting rather mopey, but my cat (an Abyssinian) was kinda like "hey, that sucks, but at least MY person is still here." Ah, if only I could have explained it to them! It would have relieved much kitty angst.

Then the family came home, pretty much as I was walking out the door to go to work. Suddenly there were 5 long-missed loud tall people tromping all about and tossing luggage about the place. One of my brothers had gotten a bad case of food poisoning while they were gone -- he was visibly jaundiced looking because of it. We have since hypothesized that this messed up his scent.

As far as we can figure, the stress of all these people suddenly invading (even if they were the beloved family) and being loud and shifting things about, and the fact that my one brother apparently smelled wrong, totally freaked out my cat! Apparently he decided my brother was an evil alien clone intent on destroying life as we know it...or something. And I wasn't home -- maybe he'd already gotten me! Anyway, the cat tried to kill him to save us all. He succeeded in scratching my bro's leg and biting him on the bum before my 6'4" brother ran screaming and locked himself in the bathroom.

Eventually the cat came to his senses, after my brother's smell went back to normal a few days later. But it was a bit touch and go between the two of them for a while there. It is kind of funny to see a big guy like that in fear of a cwute widdle kitty. They both got over it and made up eventually!

Best excuse ever to leave work early: "I have to go. My cat just had a psychotic episode and tried to kill my brother, and no one else can calm down the cat."