Six and a half years ago Chad snuck a tiny, nearly black baby ferret into our house. He included with her a giant cage "for Fidget" so I would not get mad. I was not happy with him as we were supposed to adopt from a shelter. In hindsight, I'm so glad that Chad's hand was directed to bring Hotspur home to us. In her very active, very naughty, very trying 6.5 years she terrorized the cats, desperately trying to headwhip them into submission; she bit our toes, inner elbow, ankles and butts - OUCH; had a bulging disk in her back; had a mystery illness that nearly killed her; had surgery for adrenal cancer; and followed her brother around constantly. After Fidget became ill Hotspur would methodically look through all his sleepy spots to check on him. If I saw her I usually helped out. It wasn't so much that she wanted to curl up with him at that time, she seemed to want to know where he was so when she was indeed sleepy she could pop in and curl up with him. No matter what it was, biting the humans or recouping from surgery Hotspur was always a little spitfire. Perhaps I should make a slight correction to that statement. The only time she was not a spitfire was around children and the elderly. She sensed that it was necessary to be gentle. Not long ago I took her and her brother to see my Gramps in the nursing home. Hotspur was so gentle with him. I held her so he could pet her naked back and she calmly sat there. I was so proud. On December 28, our baby girl left her earth family for the Rainbow Bridge. And so I must, with great sadness, ask Saraferret, Sandy or Muldoone to please keep an eye out for our baby 'Spur and remind them to watch their scruffs. Please introduce Hotspur to Loki, my first ferret. I hope they get along. Loki loved everyone. Hotspur loved her brother Fidget but that was about it. Any other ferret she would go after with a vengeance. Please tell her that it is breaking her Mommy & Daddy's hearts to know that she left before we could say a final goodbye. Tell her we love her and we miss her and that her brother is looking for her around the house. Goodbye our baby 'Spur. You had one hell of a ride and we're gratefull you let us stupid humans along for the thrill. Love, Mom, Dad, brother Fidget & the stupid cats Ghost, Freyr & Seti [Posted in FML issue 4747]