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Cat Toy

The Travis County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning to people about “self-defense” keychains: they’re illegal. The cat-shaped device — with pointy “ears” — is designed to be held with fingers in the “eyes.” They’re strong and cute — and are classified by state law as brass knuckles. “Just because something is available on the Internet doesn’t mean it automatically is legal,” says sheriff’s Capt. Craig Smith, who says women, especially, have been buying them for defensive purposes. “The Internet is a broad place and something that is legal in another state may not be legal here.” It’s not: possession of such a device in Texas is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, a $4,000 fine, or both. (RC/KRIV Houston) ...Right: if you want to defend yourself in Texas, you should have a gun like everybody else.