This method of litter pan training is directed at forging a relationship between the ferret's paw pads and its litter. The idea here is to train the domestic ( another word for house critter ) ferret to feel comfortable only when his paw pads tell him he's on the right stuff. When he senses the right sensation thru his legs then the old spincter will relax and the ureter will do its hosing too. You know, you could compare this to backpacking in the Cascade mountains, say on a five day trip. Now for some of you who haven't been one with nature, this may seem a little strange to you and you may not want to read any further. After all, it's Edward Lipinski AGAIN! When nature calls and you peel off several sheets of that precious Charmin and go to find youself a "cat-hole," some distance away from your campsite or the trail and squat down, you feel just a little uncomfortable. At least I do. I'd much rather be sitting on that nice white toilet seat rather than squating down there trying to keep the ferns and tall grasses from tickling my, well - you know whats. Well, The Lipinski Way applies to ferrets too, and in this way: I want to train my ferret to feel uncomfortable too, just as I when I'm squating rather than sitting, when he does his "thing" and his paw pads tell him that something ain't quite right. His paw pads will tell him something ain't quite right when he's NOT in the litter pan and NOT standing on the right stuff. Now this right stuff should be as distinctly different as possible from the regular floor, carpeted or otherwise, throughout the house. The right stuff, or litter, is most any kind of litter that is as different physically as possible from everywhere else in the house. I use the large granuled "Tidy Cat" clay litter, so that it must feel like walking on gravel for the ferret, thus distinctly different from the wood floor or carpet. I suppose other large granular litter would suffice as well. The Lipinski Way of rewards and punishments is used routinely during the first week of training and sometimes may even include the use of missiles such as old tennis balls. Normally the water squirt gun suffices if you don't overuse it. To be avoided is this terrible new clumping litter like Scoop Away. Pet owners prefer this clumping litter because any liquid or sticky feces is caked in this stuff and can be easily "filtered" out of the pan by the owner. However, one should consider the fact that this clumping litter also clumps in other places where there is any moisture, such as the nostrils, sinuses, throat, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. It does not come out. It sticks like concrete. In addition it sticks to the eyes, in the ears and on the genitals. And since ferrets are prone to bulldozing with their heads and digging in their litter pan, this scoop away junk invades the moist body openings and clumps therein a little at a time and collects day after day. Over time, this stuff can cause health problems. Most knowledgable ferret vets do not recommend its use. Another negative of this terrible scoop away litter is that its like fine sand, almost a dust, such that there is very little differentiation between the litter and a dusty floor elsewhere in the house. Hence, it is more difficult to train the ferret to the litter pan that has the scoop away litter in it than it is to train the ferret to the littler pan that has the "Tidy Cat" large granulated litter in it. And lastly, the "Tidy Cat" stuff is less expensive than the clumping litter. I guess what it comes down to is if you're lazy you use the clumping litter since it's easier for you. If you're more concerned about your ferret's long term health, you will not use it. Thus Spake Lipinski, who prefers the toilet seat rather than the "cat-hole." (Now, aren't you glad you didn't read this?) [Posted in FML issue 2730]