Fragrances can upset the dominance hierarchy sometimes, which means that it
can sometimes reduce disagreements among ferrets, but sometime it worsens
them if the fragrance is too noticeable to them or applied to the wrong
individual.  There have been cases in which ferrets did not recognize
friends after such applications, or -- for that matter -- after an
operation temporarily changed the scent of a ferret.  Imagine if you came
home from a vacation and your family members had all undergone major
plastic surgery so you couldn't tell which face went with which person.  If
you have seen that Twilight Zone episode in which a girl resisted surgery
into one of the six acceptable faces and forms, you can imagine that
ferrets might also resist all smelling alike on anything but a short term
basis.  Stink is status (and identification).
[Posted in FML issue 3098]