The excellent book _Training Your Pet Ferret_ (Gerry Bucsis and Barbara
Somerville) recommends the use of scat mats to train ferrets away from
no-no spaces, and particularly things like Christmas trees.  While this
does not seem like an inhumane training device (allegedly, it merely
produces a tingle), I haven't seen scat mats recommended in any of the
other ferret books I have.
 
So I was hoping to first, get a second opinion from a few sensible heads in
this forum.  Would you recommend the use of a scat mat, and why or why not?
 
Second, if scat mats are approved of, what stores if any around the
Stirling/Herndon or even general Washington DC vicinity can be relied
upon for a good, quality selection with a sensible price.
 
Thanks in advance,
Jaime
[Posted in FML issue 3245]