Ferrets

What are pages about ferrets doing on an all cat clinic's website? 

While Dr. Rebecca Arnold only sees cats at All Feline, Dr. Shelley Knudsen sees ferrets as well as cats.  To know more about Dr. Knudsen's background with ferrets, and why she enjoys working with both ferrets and cats, check out her qualifications page.

What is a ferret?

Ferrets, who have been domesticated for over 2500 years, are found in the weasel family.  They are related to weasels, otters, mink, and of course, black footed ferrets.  The Latin term for ferret is mustelae putorious furo which loosely translates into stinky little thief.  Ferrets are incredibly entertaining pets, but they do require a bit more work than owning a cat or a dog.

If you already own a ferret, then you already know how much fun they can be as pets.  But, you also know the joys of cleaning cages, ferret-proofing your home, the regular litter box misses, walking with your head down to avoid stepping on one, and so on.  But you also know how a ferret is like a compact little packet of joy.  Other than when they get sick, a healthy well adjusted ferret knows only the fun in life.  There is nothing more entertaining than watching your ferret steal your keys or a stuffed animal doing the loot 'n scoot, or watching two ferrets play king of the tunnel with clear dryer tubing.

If you are thinking about getting a ferret, don't just impulse buy.  While ferrets are incredibly entertaining as pets, they require quite a bit more care and attention than a cat or a dog.  You will need to ferret proof your entire house and be careful of furniture with moving parts such as recliners, sofa beds, and rockers that can be death traps for ferrets.  You will have to be willing to work with your ferret on litter box training, and accept the occasional miss.  Having a ferret is kind of like having a permanent kitten.  They play, eat, poop and sleep, in that order.

Some good sources of information on ferrets? 

There are two that we recommend:

• Online, you can go to www.ferretcentral.org.  This is a page that has been online for 15 years, but it continues to be kept updated.  From there, you can access the ferret faq, which is basically a book about ferrets online.  You can also find ferret shelters to adopt ferrets from, and multiple networks of other ferret owners. 
• If you prefer the old fashioned book in your hand, then believe it or not, Ferrets for Dummies is probably one of the best ferret books out there to teach you about owning a ferret.

But, you already have a ferret, and you are actually looking more for medical information on them.  We have that too.  From preventative health care to common medical issues, to more complex medical issues, we can treat your ferret for almost anything. 

For more information, keep reading!

Experience and Qualifications

Ferret Preventative Healthcare

Ferret Common Medical Issues

Ferret Emergencies and First Aid

A-4 Animal Hospital Contact Info

The Pet Clinic Contact Info