A skin infection and/or boredom.
Yes. It is commonly called "bottle brush tail" as it resembles a bottle brush. When a ferret has a puffed up tail he/she is either very excited or scared. If the tail is puffed up and the ferret is backing away /hissing it is scared and should be left alone. If the tail is puffed up and the ferret is dooking he/she is happy
When a ferret is scared they will have a "bottle brush tail". The fur on their tail will be fluffed up and sticking out.
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It is probably a tumor. I'd guess it is benign, as I've heard of more than one ferret with a benign tumor on the end of its tail. You should take your ferret to the vet, as this is not normal and could be harmful.
If the hair themselves are spotted, then that means your ferret has a spotted colored tail. If there are black dots on the skin of the tail, then your ferret has "rat tail", a very common skin condition. The dots are just black heads and can be treated with a gentle skin cleanser. Wet just the tail and work in a small amount of cleanser. If your ferret will allow it, gently scrub with a cloth. Rinse well. Repeat daily for about a week.
If you tried to handle it, there is always that chance. But more likely it would use its talons rather than bite.
The ball on the tip of a ferrets tail is called a chordoma and needs to be removed by a veterinarian
It isn't likely a cat would die directly from a bite to the tail. However, a bite would leave the cat in great pain so it is advisable to take the cat to the vet immediately. While the tail isn't a vital organ, they are delicate appendages and due to the many bones within the tail, it is easy for a tail bones to break. Sadly, a broken tail cannot be mended, and in some cases, if the injury is particularly bad or the injury is at the base of the tail (greater chance of nerve damage), the tail has to be amputated.
NO, you cannot pick a ferret up by the tail, or any animal by that matter. In some animals the skin will slip off the tail if picked up that way.
No they do not