Sorry for so many replies, but one last big concern of mine is that I have two cats who are both very friendly, but one of them is a Bengal and as those who know Bengals, she can be slightly more curious than others. The other is a 20lb Maine Coon and is lazier than hell. Neither have front claws and I would not plan on having "play sessions" for either the snake or the cats. I would keep the python in its cage when I am not around and I would figure the cats would be around when handling the python. So I guess what I am asking is whether or not it is safe for both the cats and the Python concerning handling and the scent of the cat.