It IS possible to ferret-proof a recliner, although not terribly easy.  My
husband bought some wire mesh at the hardware store, then took the recliner
apart and stapled/wired the mesh over every bottom opening our ferrets could
get into.  The recliner still works just fine, but now the ferts are baffled
by the wire mesh.  One note of caution--you have to make sure that you take
care of EVERY opening, because if a way in is left, rest assured your little
FLO agents will find it!  <g>
 
Faerie accepted defeat much more gracefully than Scamper, who spent most of
an evening trying to defeat the wire mesh.  Now he just sort of lingers
under the chair hopefully for a few minutes, then goes on about his business
(i.e., usually trying to liberate the lip balm from the bowl on the coffee
table, but that's another story).
 
I got a laugh out of the post about the ferret jumping over to the coffee
table.  Scamper does that too, and can jump about 2 feet with ease.  But one
afternoon I had moved the table only about a foot away from the sofa, and he
just couldn't quite adjust his trajectory.  He'd make a massive spring and
then go skittering completely across the table and fall off the other side
onto the carpet.  It was pretty funny to watch, but he was completely
undaunted.  And, of course, finally he made it.  If nothing else, ferrets
are certainly an object lesson in perseverance!
 
I too read with horror Dayna's post about the abused ferret, and am glad he
seems to be making such a good recovery.  He is and is going to be an
inspiration, just watch.  As for the evil, sick, twisted person who did this
to him, I only hope that the divine force will someday return the favor.
 
                                Barbara, Scamper, and Faerie
[Posted in FML issue 1565]