Not that I have a degree or anything, but, my opinion is this.  I think
that ferrets do miss us.  I think they know when we are gone and I think
they have a good idea when we are due back.
 
I only say this from what my guys do.  When I come home from school, they
all wake up and rush to meet me.  My husband stays home all day (works at
home) and he says they only get up on occasion during the day to poop or
eat and don't bother him much.  As soon as I get home, they get up and
crowd around me and won't leave me alone until I pick everyone up and "to
do" over them.  Then they are happy and they go back to sleep.
 
They also know a weekend from a weekday.  On weekends, they get out of
their room later and get to stay up later.  Their schedule of events is
very scheduled during the week and they know if from start to finish each
day.  But, they know that Friday brings a different way of doing things
(they stay in their room most of the day for us to clean house) and they
know that means 'weekend'.  From that point on, when we are home, they come
out of the wood work and won't leave us alone.  They know we will be coming
and going all day and night so they come out when they know we're home.
 
They're smart guys.  They know the sound of the car alarm.  When it goes
off, they come to the back door and wait at the laundry room.  They also
know that when we go into the laundry room, that we don't allow them in
there.  They have started hiding around the corners and under stuff to try
to get in there as we come in.  They know we usually have tons of stuff in
our hands and it's a perfect opportunity to get in there.  Orion even drug
a blanket down the hall way and put it at the door and then laid under it
with just his nose sticking out.  If that isn't thinking, I don't know
what is!
 
Yeah, they know.  They love us.  They miss us.  They want our attention.
They depend on us.  We depend on them more!  :-)
 
April and the Mission Impossible LOVES ferrets
 
Luna
Orion
Venus
Eros
Sola
[Posted in FML issue 3040]