Have to be quick about this! Am hoping to have time late tomorrow for more e-mail stuff, but really under pressure recently getting thing done. Have caught up on some, though -- even repaired two chairs here myself, closets get redone tomorrow so have to be ready. I LOVE the "favorite things" song and that people are responding with more favorite things. These are such great FUN! I have only one addition that I can't resist putting in: one of Meeteetse's is to climb up pants' legs and tickle us behind our knees with her whiskers. (Oh, she says that Dr. Ferret should know it's a good reflex test. Loved that post -- laughed and laughed.) Only 17 issues to Issue 3,000! It's perfect that it's hitting in the almost-Spring around here while people are mostly so up in spirit in the general posts. Thanks for all the funnies! Wish I could do humor so beautifully as you folks do! Can't reach my refs (No, I don't have things stored away in my head for the most part -- use references.) but isn't squamous cell carcinoma in humans associated with too much sun or U.V. light exposure? Ferrets are descended from burrow dwelling animals which were mostly active in the crepuscular periods (dawn and dusk) so they'd be be even less able to withstand much sun exposure than we are HYPOTHETICALLY and IF MEMORY SERVES on the sun/UV exposure aspect. Might that play a part? I don't know squat about your home set-up. Some cancers are suspected to possibly have viral triggers, that's always a possibility, too. Again: if memory serves -- haven't bladder stones also been connected in the diet portion of Fox's latest vet text with corn in the diet sometimes? Might it help to be sure that corn isn't in the diet. Seem to recall that it changes the urine pH in bad direction and degree. Sukie (who obviously is not a vet and obviously doesn't have these things in her head but in her books and files -- but had gotten ferret kisses for something like 18 years) [Posted in FML issue 2983]