Kat wrote:
>SOME ferrets are just MEANT to be yours...whether they come from a pet
>store...you meet them at a shelter..or see an ad in the paper...
>whatever...
 
I can't agree more.  And it's not just ferrets.  Of my 8 cats, only 1 is
from a pet store.  I saw him one day, fretted for over 24 hours about him
then finally gave in.  He's been my sweetie ever since (11 years!).
 
3 of my ferrets have come to me this way also.  The first was
Christopher, who cmae from a pet store.  He climbed my arm, cried at me
and bit me.  I couldn't leave without him.  I believe in my heart that if
I hadn't bought him, he'd have died when his EE turned up.  Would the
average owner have spent so much money to solve the mystery of what was
killing Chris?  Probably not.  It helped that I have a wonderful vet who
was as determined as I was.
 
Next came Sam, who was turned over to me by owners who didn't want him
any more.  I had every intention of turning him over to a shelter, but
one look at that chubby, smiling face and Sam was here to stay.  I loved
him immediately, and I think he loved me too.  He would follow me around
the room as I cleaned and would flop on my foot if I stood still for even
a minute.
 
Lastly was the NJ Christmas rescue.  Ferret #63 was the most terrified
animal I have ever seen.  He was filthy, scared and snarling.  My heart
just broke to see him.  I put my name down to adopt him that very night.
(I think.  It's kind of a blur because it was so late at night when we
got to his carrier.) So what if he was marked as a biter.  I'd just have
to cope with it.  Luckily, Fugly is now a sweetheart, even if he won't
give kisses.
 
I'm sad to say that Sam is gone now.  I lost him October 1st.  I've held
off writing about him because I didn't want to panic anyone who had a
coughing ferret and there were so many posts about sniffles and coughs.
What we thought was an upper respiratory turned out to be a terribly
malignant cancer that apparently metastasized to every organ in less than
3 months.  July's xray was totally clear.  October's xray made me wince.
The apparent original tumor was the size of a walnut.  Samples of all
organs, plus the tumor, have been sent for biopsy.  I'll post the results
here if folks are interested.
 
To end this on a happy note, Christopher is doing great and is now living
in one big cage with 8 other ferrets.  Thankfully, he has shown that he
will eat his own food over the others' chow so he no longer needs to be
separated.
 
My best to you all.
 
Anastasia Kid
[Posted in FML issue 3960]