Ferret

In general use, a ferret is a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo). Several other small, elongated carnivorous mammals belonging to the family Mustelidae (weasels) also have the word "ferret" in their common names, including the endangered black-footed ferret. The ferret is a very close relative of the polecat, but it is as yet unclear whether it is a domesticated form of the European polecat, the Steppe polecat, or some hybrid of the two.

The history of the ferret's domestication is uncertain, like that of most other domestic animals. It is very likely that ferrets have been domesticated for at least 2500 years, but it is not certain for what purpose the ferret was originally domesticated. It is known though that the Romans used ferrets for hunting rabbits. They are still used for that purpose in some parts of the world today, but increasingly they are being kept simply as pets. Being so closely related to polecats, ferrets are quite easily able to hybridize with them, and this has occasionally resulted in feral colonies of ferret polecat hybrids that have been perceived to have caused damage to native fauna, perhaps most notably in New Zealand. As a result, some parts of the world have imposed restrictions on the keeping of ferrets.