With cats I've always felt that it seemed like the cats just thought
the ferrets were rather amusing, often annoying odd looking kittens.
And ferrets - well I'm not sure what they think cats are. But I have
yet to see one that didn't do this weird stop and slow motion move when
first meeting a cat - and often afterwards as well. They'll most closer
slowly... Slowly... Bit by bit. Not sure if they're being cautious or
just mesmerized by the cats. Anyone else notice this? It's really cute.

In the 16 years I've had ferrets I've had several cats and all got
along fine with the ferrets. Some didn't pay them much attention while
two I have now, an adopted Persian who was 2 1/2 when I got him, and an
adopted Exotic Shorthair who was 4 when I got her, often seek them out
and play with them - ESPECIALLY the Persian. Both of them love to sit
at the end of the tube and wait for a ferret nose to appear then they
paw at them like mad. They also love to play "Whack-a-ferret" with them
in cardboard boxes or the ferrets' rice box. I've never had a single
moment where I felt like the ferrets were hurting the cat or vice
versa.

To ensure the ferrets don't end up injured make sure you keep the cat's
claws trimmed. I do all mine every two weeks if not once a week. I've
never seen them have their claws out while playing, though. You should
also give the cat an "out". Make one room "ferret free" if you have
particularly rambunctious ferrets or maybe just to start. This way the
cat has somewhere to go to if the ferrets get to be too much. Having
chairs or perches that the cat can get up on but the ferrets can't also
is always a good idea.

My Youtube page has loads of videos of cat-ferret interaction. Here's
my most popular one - "Whack-a-Ferret" made years ago with Percy the
Persian and the ferrets I had back then
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFG8eGHDUu8
and here he is much more recently with the rice box
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWDxNjPa6hg

Like I mentioned before, Percy was already 2 1/2 when I got him and
INSTANTLY fell in love with the ferrets. When I first got him he'd
sleep on top of their cage and poke his paw at them to get them to
wake up so I'd let them out to play! Here's another vid with Penny
the Exotic and Jack doing the "ohhhhhhh kittttttyyyyyyyyy" slow MO
that I mentioned above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XJsLOHh2xM

Laura

[Posted in FML 7568]