Hi, Dan!
 
>My prime concern is compatibility with Boofer, a 5 year old female sable I
>have.  She doesn't seem to be in mourning that Mr Ralph is gone, but she
>may not have realised that he is gone yet.  Anyway, of course, while Boofer
>is the Best Ferret in the Known World, she is used to getting what she
>wants, and I'd like to do everything possible to ensure a good match-up
>with her.  Given that Boof is inclined to be jealous, does the sex of the
>kitten matter?  Any tips about reassuring her that she's still Queen Bee
>when the new kitten arrives?
 
In my household of four cats and two ferts, there were never any problems.
We just made sure to watch the cats around them for a couple of days until
we were sure that their play wasn't really hunting!
 
To do this, you have to actually watch the cat and be RIGHT THERE the first
couple of times they grab a fert, roll over, and start gently biting and
kicking at it.  Ferrets don't act like prey because they play right back.
The cats seem to recognize this and have a ball with them.  But if you're
right there, you can grab the cat or fert and avoid any mishaps.  We never
had any around here.
 
What's even cuter is our the two cats that play with them (the two older
cats just ignore them) each have their favorite fert!
 
>Actually, what about the idea of taking Boof along to look at kittens
>(assuming that's possible)?  Anyone have experience along these lines?
 
Ferts might possibly be a danger to very small kittens.  I wouldn't let
them play together until the kitten is much older.  Ferret bites, as you
probably know, are pretty nasty!
 
>Also, on the subject, are there many great woozle/cat friendships out
>there?  It seems like a natural to me, but I have no real clue.
 
Not real friendships, per se, but they love to play together.  I can't see
them actually lying down and sleeping together.
 
Eve
[Posted in FML issue 2674]