Ferreting Around

Wow, I never expected to be blipping this today!

See that cute little face EVEN LARGER. Awww!

I already had my blip at lunch time (or so I thought). However, fate had other things in store.
Tonight on return from work I went out to feed Tom and the little stray cat. I put her food down in the hay store and took his out to him. As I returned to the hay store for a hay net I heard a scuffling behind some discarded feed bags then a head and upper body emerged. It made me jump, my first thought was a huge rat. The 'rat' sauntered out and once I could see the entire body I realised it was a ferret - a very tame one! He (it looks like a 'he' to me, though to be honest I haven't the slightest idea how to tell) tried to get to the little cat's feed. She wasn't too sure what this strange creature was trying to muscle in on her nosh. I figured he must be tame, as he wasn't in the slightest bit phased by either myself or the cat. I moved the cat's bowl up onto the top of the feed bin, she followed and started eating. After much figuring out, the ferret managed to get up there too. So I ended up putting some meat on top of the bin for the ferret and putting the cat's bowl back on the floor for her to finish eating in peace. Of course my Blipper's instinct kicked in and I whizzed indoors for my camera - I may never get another chance to blip a ferret!
What to do? I didn't want to leave Mr Ferret (who seemed quite at home in the hay store) with the cat - I was concerned there may be altercations at some point, especially when she thought he may be good for a game! My boss keeps ferrets and I remember him saying that even very tames ones can sometimes bite - HARD - and when they do they hang on like grim death! He knows from experience, hehehe. So I managed to tempt the ferret into a large wicker picnic basket with a little food, and he's now in there with a bowl of water and something soft to lay on. My boss is now away for 2 days, hence I'd not be able to get advice from him until Friday. So I rang the RSPCA. They've agreed that the ferret must be a tame one, though have no record as yet of a missing one being reported local to me. The chap advised to keep him in the basket with just water somewhere warm overnight - so Mr Ferret is my house guest tonight in the bathroom. Tomorrow I've to leave the basket in the shed, and at some point the RSPCA are going to take Mr Ferret to their place and scan him for a microchip in the hope that his owner can be traced that way. On Friday I'm going to speak to my boss - I've told the RSPCA that if all else fails and an owner can't be traced, with luck Pete will take him in. Mr Ferret is such a sociable cutie, I'm sure Pete would love him!

Here's some more shots of him - well worth a look at!

Oh - and this is what should have been today's blip ... lol