Cats & Ferrets

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

Has anyone here ever owned these two pets at the same time? Can they co-exist peacefully?

I ask after spending an hour down at the pet store with my girlfriend today. We're moving in together and are looking at getting a pet. Unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed--that would've made this decision easy.

After playing with a kitten for about 15 minutes, I noticed that they had a pen of ferrets. My girlfriend is particularly skittish about ferrets--it doesn't help that her mother conditioned her at a young age to believe that ferrets "eat babies." (No joke.) After getting her to play with one for a few minutes, she's now of the persuasion that we should get both a kitten and a young ferret.

The idea sounds great to me, but I was left with the question of if they could get along peacefully. It seems to me like they could, but the people who owned the pet store gave me an answer that just sounded like they were pulling it out of their collective asses ("Uhhh... sure!").

If anyone has any experience with these two animals, please describe it.

[Fit of Rage]

That's very weird. I can tell you that my grandparents had both a dog and a cat that grew up together, they got along very well. So yeah, they don't necessarily have to be natural enemies, but maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

I personally wouldn't go for it.

[Ilya]

ConcreteSchlyrd do you really want to be responsible for 2 other lifeforms?

think this through, now!

[Pandagirl!]

My kitties love my doggies. They snuggle up together and it's quite cute. As for a cat living peacefully with something smaller then it, when cats are bred to hunt, I'm not so sure.

[Superted]

This is only what I could find, http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa....&F=&S=&P=31207

but I think this sentence pretty much sums it up:

Anyway, You will have to
just try the introduction and see how it goes.

[Jason]

Back a few years ago when I was living with my now ex-girlfriend, we had a ferret (named Lola) and a calico cat (named Sammy). Sammy had a very friendly temperament. In fact, he was more like a dog than a cat. He was fat, lazy and loved to just lay around with you. Lola was also quite friendly, although she could be skittish at times. He and Lola got along just fine. Lola would tease him a lot, but they never went at each other maliciously.

That being said, I really think it comes down to the specific animal. Both of those pets were super friendly and well-natured to begin with.

[Rudy]

We had ferrets for ages that we used purely for rabbitting purposes. They were vicious because they were trained to be. The same applies for cats. When ours was a kitten she would hunt and eat some of the local birdlife on a fortnightly basis. But then she grew out and she does nought but eat and sleep all day. We've got pet birds and lizards too now, and she doesn't give a shit about them at all, even when they're in her face. She tries to take a swipe at our mongrel dog because he's an idiot and wants to play with her but she in so many hisses tells him to get fucked. What she's really scared of is balloons and other inflatables. For a fat, lazy cunt, she moves like greased lightning the moment she sees one.
So it all comes down to the age at which the two are introduced. If they're young enough, they will learn treat each other as family.

[Ewan]

I think if they are both very young when you get them, they should be find as they will grow up with eachother.

[GoldenPlums]

Should be fine. Ferrets are great apart from the smell. If you want an odour free pet you'll need to get it's scent glands removed and, if it's a boy, it's balls lopped off.

[scumbag]

i had a ferret once, well it was a pole cat but theyre both similar
just 2 things to be aware of when owning a ferret/pole cat :-

1) the teeth, nasty little buggers
2) keep them in sight, these gits are the Sam Fishers of nature :ninja:

[Sleepy Weasel]

My neighbors had a ferret when I was younger. They had to get rid of it because it basically destroyed their house. They can be quite crazy.

P.S. Invite me to the wedding when it happens.

[Richard Creager]

They can exist peacefully as long as you keep the ferret caged. If you let the ferret out freely, I do now know if it possible that they can.

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

Oh, I've owned a ferret for three years beforehand. The smell isn't terrible as long as you spay/neuter, and temperament is everything when finding one--I played with one yesterday who didn't want to bite, just put his mouth around your finger and release quickly with no pressure.

P.S. Invite me to the wedding when it happens.

You can sing the wedding march.

[ZeUs!!]

The smell isn't terrible as long as you spay/neuter

Are ferrets compulsive masturbators or does it stop them pissing?

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

It'd be hilarious if they were. The scent is just part of their natural "come hither" appeal to other ferrets, evidently.