Michelle Matta mentioned her concern over her ferret not gaining weight/winter coat this fall. One of my ferrets (Slinky ... 3 year old female sable) never exhibited much of a change in body weight/fur color throughout the seasonal cycle. That is until this winter! Slinky and my other two ferrets (Bandit and Rascal) are getting beautiful winter coats! I attribute this change to better diet ... I switched from feeding her (them) cat food to feeding them Marshals (TM) ferret food. Since I keep my ferrets inside and have not changed their housing, I can't think of anything else that would have brought on this change. As to a change in the COLOR of the coat ... my two sable ferrets (Slinky and Bandit) have just gotten darker coats. My silver mit ferret (Rascal) has exhibited a bit more change. She has a white head, a grey band around her chest/back (in front of her front legs) and some grey hairs on top of white on her back. Now her head is brilliant white and she has a yellow/grey stripe running down the middle of her back (racing stripe????? :>)) Marc Wilson Alexandria, VA [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML issue 1397]