'These two chose each other': Elderly cat and neglected ferret become best friends after being rescued from difficult circumstances, forming the strangest but cutest bond

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
May 4, 2026 9:30 AM EDT

When people tell us that cats are solitary creatures who do not bond with anyone, we scoff in their faces and show them stories like these. 

Despite all the efforts that we, here at ICHC, make to educate people about the reality of cats, there are still people out there who believe in the ridiculousness. "Cats don't care about anyone," they tell us. "They're only here for the food." Meanwhile, we're sitting here, cuddled up with our cats, as they sit in our laps and purr their little hearts out. 

When cats bond, they bond hard. But it's true that they don't bond with just anyone. They choose - carefully - the people or animals that they bond with. And being picky is no sin. Sometimes, cats choose humans - they adopt us, they snuggle with us, they love us for the rest of their lives. Other times, in the same way that they choose us, cats also choose dogs - despite their differences, just to spite everyone who's ever told them that they can't bond with dogs. And other times, they choose other animals. Like this ferret. Enough time, enough proximity, and this can happen. A bond like this, as long as both sides see each other as worthy, can happen, and it's the cutest thing in the world. 

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    "Our rescued ferret and our elderly cat became best friends"

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    luckydukcky I literally gasped STOP I read this. My heart cannot when take this cuteness. I appreciate the note that this is not typical at all. But that's one of the reasons it's so unbelievably, rediculously cute. Ferrets and cats are two of my favorite animals. Gahhh I can't squeal at later. saving to
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP We felt the 100% the same way! Sake loved her so much. There was a time when he was very sick and could hardly walk, but he managed to get all the way across the house so he could snuggle with her. We swear he recovered just so it was easier to find her when she wasn't nearby ☐
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  • Love will move you to do all kinds of amazing things. And so will hope. When you have something to live for, you can make amazing recoveries. We see that in people and in animals too. It's why cats - and other animals - having friends is so important. People might think that cats like their solitude, but they really don't. They may not always need company in the same way that humans do, but they certainly need it. They need the comfort and the love. 

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    Star_070 I love the last photo, they so cute
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP He bonded with her first and then just kept on hanging around her and trying to snuggle with her. She was the most unbothered cat I've ever met, so she just accepted it. After a while, he started to grow on her, and then they became good friends.
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    FellyNamed Kelly91 This is easily the cutest thing I've seen today
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP We absolutely lost it when we found them sleeping in bed in that first picture. Her paw is even under his paw if you look closely
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    Grandheretic Animals need other animal companions. Some pet owners miss this. Glad your cat found a friend in old age
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP We actually had 1 other cat and 3 other ferrets (it was a very full house for a while), but for some reason these these two chose each other. But I guess it was just meant to be
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    Unlikely_Ant_950 I mean this in a curious way - would you consider this cat and ferret to be 'dumb'? I ask because I've had a bonded cat/dog pair and I considered them on the 'dumb' side and I was convinced they each thought the other was no different - Dog thought cat was a dog, and cat thought dog was a cat.
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP I would definitely say that our cat was the dumbest creature I've ever encountered. She had not a single thing inside her head but love. I do think that had something to do with it because she was slow to react to things and a lot of stuff "went over her head". Our ferret came from a neglect situation and probably didn't understand what normal pet relationships should look like, so he just fell in love with her.
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  • There's something about “stupid” animals that we just- love so much. Something about their simplicity, about the fact that they remind us that even the smallest things can and should make us happy. They remind us to look at the positive sides of life more often, no matter what is happening around us. And they make us laugh. Goodness, they make us laugh so hard that it doesn't matter if we're having a bad day or not. A little time with them, and we will be smiling from ear to ear.

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    -Geist- Oh my gosh, they're bonded so strong. They're as close as they could possibly be! It's the snuggling with their faces pressed together that really tugs at my heart strings.
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP Me, too. We absolutely squealed (very quietly as to not disturb them) when we found them like that.
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    Static-Stair-58 I wonder how much being a rescue played into forming this relationship
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP We suspect it played a big role. He came from an extreme neglect situation and had a lot of firsts at our home. It makes sense he might not have a barometer for normal pet dynamics.
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    covalent_blond I didn't even know that ferrets were capable of sitting still. Amazing!
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP It's one of their two speeds. They are either in "stop" or they are in "GO!"
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    Iraev Adorable. Did the cat ever lick the ferret?
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    loveyousomuch_ok OP She did! He didn't really "get it" but he was just happy to have her attention. Ferrets are very clean and groom themselves a lot like cats do, but they don't groom each other very frequently. It's more of a personal thing.
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