Declawing the cats, a safety precaution commonly taken, only makes them more aggressive, critics of big-cat ownership say. One result is that abandoned big cats are becoming a significant burden at some local animal shelters. Exotic cats aren't the only potentially dangerous animals taking up residence in Middle American households. Macaques, wallabies, and potbellied pigs also are being drafted as domestic companions. The limb was later reattached, but doctors say the child will never regain its full use.
Experts say the frequency of such attacks is rising.
FANS OF THE BIG CATS as pets say such episodes occur when a small number of negligent owners let children get too close to the animals. He says he hasn't ever felt in danger. Lion cubs, currently less popular than tigers, can be purchased for much less. But caring for them is expensive. When the Army transferred her husband in the fall, Sweatt says she gave the cats away to a zoo in Austin, Texas, and a sanctuary near Tyler, Texas.