Hello again!
First I'd like to thank everyone for their advice and input about ferrets
and rats.  I bought my rat 3 days ago.  Her name is "Quizeen" ( like
"cuisine".  A sick joke, really.  She was intended to be snake food.) The
first day I let her mostly sit in her cage and adjust to the big change.
The second day I played with her myself.  And the third, Seymour got a sniff
or two at her and I have determined that he just doesn't care.  Psycho-kitty
on the other hand, wants to eat her.  Badly.  But I expected that, Psycho
being a rather agressive cat and just basically a jerk besides.  Seymour
also jumps in Quizeen's aquarium full of pine shavings every chance he gets.
Go fig!  We've been keeping the little rat in our bedroom with the door
closed so neither cat nor ferret can get in.  Seymour is allowed in
occasionally, but the cat is not at all, because we don't have a suitable
cover as of yet for her tank.  Just some books sat on top with spaces
between them for ventilation.  Well, like an idiot, I left the door open
this morning, just for a minute, while I was in the living room, and sure
enough!  My husband walks into the bedroom to find the books knocked off,
Seymour in the tank, Psycho hanging over the side, and Quizeen gone!  Well,
I nearly had a heart attack trying to find her, but she was just sitting in
a pile of blankets, shivering a little, but otherwise unharmed.  I don't
know if the cat went after her, but obviously she outsmarted him.  Seymour
was pretty much unphased.  He yawned when I pulled him out of the tank and
didn't take a second look at Quizeen.  Hm.  Well, I think I'll take some of
the advice I was given and not allow too much contact anyway.  I think the
truest thing said was that it depends on the animal.  Seymour is
very...unique.  I don't think he cares enough to bother with killing
anything.
 
I realize I've probably gone on a little too much about my rat.  Sorry, I'm
very enthusiastic....about everything.  At least I did better than when I
got my cat.  I'm improving ;-) Hope ya'll don't mind too much.  (Did I say
ya'll?  Please forgive, us south'ners are too ign'rant to talk like all you
nawthners).
 
        Goodbye friends,
                --Barbara Thomas
 
" Darkness can never last too long
  if you laugh in it's face!" -Oingo Boingo
[Posted in FML issue 1613]