They're more like a cross between a cat and a dog, and they're extremely friendly and playful. Contact your local wildlife or fish and game department, the humane society or your local veterinarian to find out if ferrets are legal in your area and whether or not you'll need a license to own one. Ferret-proof your house.
Ferrets are mischievous and get into everything.
Also consider ferret shelters and look for newspaper ads for breeders. Choose the age and gender of your prospective ferret. Babies are called kits until they are 4 to 6 months old, at which time they are considered adults. Consider the ferret's size. Males are considerably larger at 18 inches and 2 to 5 lbs.