Tooth-some

Toothsome, I always thought, meant sweets or something desirable. I was right. Here is the link to Merriam-Webster. http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/netdict?book=Dictionary&va=toothsome. But I must say that after this weekend, I have discovered that I am toothsome to the cats at the shelter. I prefer thinking of it as toothsome rather than as a chew toy but in looking at the ferocious battle scars from clipping toenails, I must admit chew toy fits the bill better. From twin claw marks on my face (I'll be wearing goggles the next time I hold a cat for toe clipping) to bite marks on my forearm, I feel like I have been in a duel. Only the cat and I can say which of us won, however. I am sure from the cat's point of view, he won because I decided that maybe his toe nails could just be left for another time. And certainly from my point of view, I won because I still have my eye that he clawed towards when he was trying to get away from trimming. Thank goodness I wear glasses is all I have to say. So, all in all, an education. I won't so blithely say that I can't get hurt. It is obvious I can. But I do feel really good about the fact that I faced several cats before that one who let me trim their nails and that in facing that one I have faced down a fear I kept denying I had...one where I can and will be hurt by an animal I am trying to help. Now if only I can find serious leather gloves made to fit my hands. The only ones we had there were made for someone with a seriously large hand. My mini-mitts just don't work on those.