When I rescued my first ferret in 1982, there was no "ferret food". People in Europe were feeding "bread & milk" (are you horrified yet?), but a VERY small book I found on ferret care recommended "kitten chow". Not "cat chow", as it stated that the kitten formulation was indeed higher in protein & a better choice. For over 9 years my dear ferret ate kitten chow supplemented with any table scraps she was interested in consuming... including fruits & vegetables. Since she was an adult when rescued, she was definitely an "old girl" when I lost her. No, I do not feed kitten chow now, but I have never had a subsequent ferret live a longer, healthier life despite my following all the "new" info on better nutrition for ferrets. As to the "don't adopt" if you can't afford it advice, how is it better to leave these poor creatures to be neglected or abused? There are folks out there with hearts the size of the states they live in (& a gaggle of ferrets almost as big), & they all do the best they can to take good care of the fuzzies; please don't criticize so harshly if their pockets are not as large as their hearts. Kudos to them all. & by the way, Laura, have you looked at the ingredients in a lot of the stuff that you are eating? Unless you have a farm & are personally raising all of your food, I bet that kitten chow is more healthful than much of the stuff you consume. This is true of most of us, so I'm just sayin' :>) Please, you've registered your opinion, now leave it alone. Thank you from the rest of us who don't like to see others flamed. Dooks to all... & give those fuzzies a hug! Lisa [Posted in FML 6925]