Ferrets, like all members of the weasel family, are predators with skinny, flexible bodies. They readily go after
rodents and rabbits by burrowing into their prey’s hiding places. People in the ancient world often used them as rodent exterminators, but ferrets lost favor as cats became more popular—and for the obvious reason that people have never completely trusted ferrets. Families, especially those with small children, feared that ferrets would turn vicious and bite someone (which happened at times, and still does now). Ferrets are still around, but it was inevitable that they would be eclipsed by cats.
