Six and a half years ago Chad snuck a tiny, nearly black baby ferret
into our house.  He included with her a giant cage "for Fidget" so I
would not get mad.  I was not happy with him as we were supposed to adopt
from a shelter.  In hindsight, I'm so glad that Chad's hand was directed
to bring Hotspur home to us.  In her very active, very naughty, very
trying 6.5 years she terrorized the cats, desperately trying to headwhip
them into submission; she bit our toes, inner elbow, ankles and butts -
OUCH; had a bulging disk in her back; had a mystery illness that nearly
killed her; had surgery for adrenal cancer; and followed her brother
around constantly.  After Fidget became ill Hotspur would methodically
look through all his sleepy spots to check on him.  If I saw her I
usually helped out.  It wasn't so much that she wanted to curl up with
him at that time, she seemed to want to know where he was so when she
was indeed sleepy she could pop in and curl up with him.
 
No matter what it was, biting the humans or recouping from surgery
Hotspur was always a little spitfire.  Perhaps I should make a slight
correction to that statement.  The only time she was not a spitfire was
around children and the elderly.  She sensed that it was necessary to be
gentle.  Not long ago I took her and her brother to see my Gramps in the
nursing home.  Hotspur was so gentle with him.  I held her so he could
pet her naked back and she calmly sat there.  I was so proud.
 
On December 28, our baby girl left her earth family for the Rainbow
Bridge.
 
And so I must, with great sadness, ask Saraferret, Sandy or Muldoone to
please keep an eye out for our baby 'Spur and remind them to watch their
scruffs.  Please introduce Hotspur to Loki, my first ferret.  I hope they
get along.  Loki loved everyone.  Hotspur loved her brother Fidget but
that was about it.  Any other ferret she would go after with a vengeance.
 
Please tell her that it is breaking her Mommy & Daddy's hearts to know
that she left before we could say a final goodbye.  Tell her we love her
and we miss her and that her brother is looking for her around the house.
 
Goodbye our baby 'Spur. You had one hell of a ride and we're gratefull
you let us stupid humans along for the thrill.
 
Love, Mom, Dad, brother Fidget & the stupid cats Ghost, Freyr & Seti
[Posted in FML issue 4747]