I think what Rev. J. Gordon Bengston was trying to get at was way
ferrets are sort of naiive.....he did state that they do demonstrate
unconditional love and appreciation. I think I understand what he is
saying.

While everything you say is true about animals and emotions, I think
that the brains of ferrets are probably not able to comprehend many of
the things we do - but that is how they live, and they are none the
worse for it.

What I mean is, we communicate in our ways, and ferrets in theirs - we
are both organisms with highly specialized areas....ours more in social
interaction and communication, and use of tools and dexterity. Ferrets
live in a world where their jaws are used much more than ours (for
carrying things, communication, etc), they use smells and low sounds
to communicate, they wrestle and play to say they are mad, happy,
they dance, use hair bristling, and other things - but as far as
understanding to a great extent what is going on around them, I just
haven't seen it from mine. They are intelligent, and in MY opinion
they are self-aware (a term that all of my professors would kill me
for using to describe any non-human animal). Being self-aware, to
me, is only natural if you have the degree of emotions that a lot of
mammals have. It seems they have more emotions than a cat, but then
again, perhaps it's just because ferrets are more akin to people
with their grasping abilities than a cat is, and as such I tend to
anthropomorphize them more. After all, ferrets sleep in little beds,
hammocks, and sleep sacks and use blankies.....

I do see your point though. We are all trapped in our own bodies - as
much as people would like to fly, we can't - or breathe underwater,
etc. In the same token, as much as your ferret might want to say
something, most of them can't bark of their own volition (I have one
that screams when scared, but she has never made a sound when not
scared). I have seen videos of ferrets who do make noises when they
aren't frightened, but that's not the norm. As much as they might
want to hold onto something or turn a doorknob, they can't....

Intelligence is not quantifiable. In the end, I really don't care as
long as I have my little ones. They're like my kids and I love them
so much.

L

[Posted in FML 6007]