I am hoping those of you with ferrets and cats can help me with your experience. I am agonizing about getting a cat. I have two free-roam ferrets and don't really think its fair to lock them up if I get a cat. However I don't know if I'd ever trust a cat alone with the ferts, especially with claws. (I hate the idea of declawing a cat, I keep thinking their going to always have the phantom itch amputees do). I will continue to think about this long and hard but could people please e-mail me direct on: Introductions, how to make them and what danger signs to look for; stories on cats who get along and how, stories on cats who don't and how; ferrets who like cats and who don't; kittens vs. cats etc. etc. I just rearranged my small bedroom which is where the ferrets cage (unused) and computer is. It has one of those 5 foot wide sliding door closets (very shallow in depth). I took the doors totally off, got a strip of carpet remnant to put down and put the cage (large 3 story mid-west kind) in it. The cage gets plenty of light and air since it doesn't fill the closet and there are two windows. Now there is room for my computer AND some bookshelves and can be my little "den", The closet shelf is a handy place for litter etc. too. Mary, Boris and Giesela P.S. I woke up this morning to find Giesela was sleeping with me under the covers - I love that! P.P.S Sukie - what is "water balloon belly"? [Posted in FML issue 1707]