To Rochelle concerning switching form kitten to cat food as animals age - Although this study has never been done in ferrets, it is well known that in older cats and rats with diminished renal capacity (a normal consequence of aging in these species), decreased protein prolongs life and health. On a stressed kidney, high levels of protein enhances damage and aging changes. I see the same type of aging damage in ferret kidneys that I see in cats. For this reason, I have switched my ferrets over the age of 3-4 to cat food. We also supplement with baby food on occasion, but all of this combined does not pack the "protein wallop" that the kitten foods do. And remember, a lot of digested protein will be changed by the body to carbohydrates and stored against future energy demands (which older ferrets don't have as much need for.) As I said before, I cannot back this up with more than experience and logic, but I have seen no adverse changes in my animals - Oscar is 7, Scampi is 6 and both going strong!!! "Food for thought....." Bruce Williams, DVM [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 0710]