To Christopher A.: You asked about declawing of ferrets. I think that most readers of the FML would agree that declawing of ferrets is neither normal or ethical. IMHO, it is none too ethical a procedure to use on cats, either. Cats have retractable claws, and are nearly impossible to clip" regularly without getting slashed to ribbons. What gets removed in declawing is the entire first joint of each toe, claw included. The result is deformed looking feet; the cat cannot defend itself as effectively, and can no longer climb trees to escape from enemies. But I can't say I am categorically against it. If the owner MUST declaw in order to keep the cat indoors and save the furniture, well, I say that's better than letting the cat roam free and kill increasingly rare local birds & reptiles (they do; don't kid yourselves). Ferrets, however, do not have retractable claws. They are clipped with minimal fuss if you scruff the ferret and carefully snip off the sharp ends with a pair of nail cutters. Ferrets do not scratch furniture to sharpen their claws the way cats do, though they DO dig (making attempts to burrow into your skin and pants). So clip their nails and teach them not to scratch at you. Cheers, --Sue [Posted in FML issue 1433]