We have had a beagle for close to 6 years now, and ferrets for 2.  Our
beagle was a hunter prior to our move to PA.  In the 2 years we have had
our fuzzles, we have never had a problem with the beagle showing any
aggression towards them.  Actually, she is very protective of them.  If the
ferrets are playing with the cats, she will watch carefully and make sure
the cats are not too rough.  She also sits in front of the cage when new
people are in our house to make sure the ferrets are ok.  The funniest
thing is that at times, she pretends to be a ferret.  It is not unusual in
our house to see 5 small speedbumps and one large one.  She loves sticking
her nose in the tubes on the floor, and will at times, drag them around
giving the fert inside a ride.  She war dances with the ferts, and when
they dook, she sometimes barks.  She will eat their food, and they try to
eat hers.  I trust her completly with the furbutts.
 
BUT.....ALWAYS supervise new animals together until you are POSITIVE that
they will get along.
 
And along those lines, one of our cats went on vacation for a week or
so.(Got out the door and decided to see what the world was like) Mocha
became a bit down, wasn't in his usual playful mood etc.  Last weekend
Spaz(the cat) decided he liked the good life better and returned home.
Mocha went absolutly NUTS!  He danced and he talked and Spaz responded by
howling with delight.  They chased each other all over the house.  Mocha
decided he had enough and went to his hammock in the cage, well Spaz
decided to join him.  Imagine a 4 pound big ol' yellow cat in a tiny
hammock with his `nuggly fert pal sleeping on top of him.  I wish I had
taken a picture.
 
Best wishes to all
Susan and the menagerie
Banjo (the ferret dog),
Mocha,Triskadecka,Friday,Snickers and Julie the fearless five and
Spaz, the ferret bed
 
=====
 ...to be ourselves causes us to be exiled by many others, and yet to
 comply with what others want causes us to be exiled from ourselves.
    -- Clarissa Pinkola Estes
[Posted in FML issue 3022]