Denise, my ferrets have mastered the concept of the inclined plane (yours
may soon).  We have a coffee table piled high with things to pique a
ferret's curiosity.  It's too polished to get a good claw hold to climb and
too far to leap onto reliably.  Two of our ferrets have discovered that they
can go under a couch cushion, turn upside down by the back, give a good
shove, and watch it flip off.  It lands resting at an angle against the
table to form a ramp.  The whole bunch charge up it when they see it happen.
Bridge building at its finest.  If we aren't sitting on the couch, one will
stand up and sniff the table and then head immediately under the couch
cushion to get up.  If they ever learn all 3 classes of levers, chaos will
reign in our domain.
 
   ( )--(a)
   (@=@=) \     Till next time.......Rudy the ferlosopher
   O__)  \ \___
      \   \
      /\ * )  \
[Posted in FML issue 1393]