I've had ferrets for a couple of decades now, pet and working (at the same time) and they are cute, inquisitive, thieving, playful, affectionate and only smelly when dirty or terrified (they do a skunk-like metallic stink when they're extremely scared. I've only smelt that twice in more than 20 years, though). I've had them in the house, in my delightful offspring's bedroom (I thought they were going to live in a cage there but in fact they ended up migrating between sleeping bag and sock drawer) and outside, in groups from a solo hob to five mixed (hobs castrated) in a colony. By themselves they do need quite a bit of handling and playing with, to keep them cheerful and well-exercised. If you have a group, they play, chase, wrestle and exercise each other, so need less human time (but still some!) every day. I've had them on show at country fairs, taken them to kindergartens and schools and they've been a huge hit every time, nobody's ever remarked on the smell and they've never bitten anyone (well....me, once or twice, but not hard. I was once towed about fifty feet by a determined jill who wanted to take me back to her nest but she wasn't biting, just carrying my hand in her teeth.)
They do have a distinctive sweet musky scent, but it's not unpleasant nor strong if they're kept clean. They're easily litter-trained, since they have a fetish for relieving themselves in corners. I start mine off with a litter-tray made from half a 2L milk carton in every corner, then when they've established which corner(s) is "it", just put a litter tray there and clean up regularly. The jills do need a little care when they come into season - I have a jill and a castrated hob at the moment, and I simply take the jill along to the vet when she's fully in season and get her a hormone jab - if you ask your vet for the "jill jab" they'll know which one you mean. It's a one-shot cure for being in season and costs me £7.50 a year. Big deal.
The reason for this is that ferrets are both photoperiodic, meaning they come into season as the days lengthen, and induced ovulators, so the jill won't come out of season again until they think they've mated. The jill jab induces ovulation and brings them out of season. If they stay in season too long, it weakens their immune system, they're inclined to get infections and often develop leukaemia.
All mine have worked, though to them it's just more and better play! The only times I've had a lie-up were when they were peckish and found a nice litter of baby bunnies to snack off, but they've never stayed down more than a couple of hours and come straight back to hand when they do come up. They get on fine with the dogs, I get them used to each other from babyhood by giving them dishes of milk to share together. You could probably do the same with cats, though I've never tried it. Our cats regarded ferrets as weird-looking other cats anyway, I think.
Find a ferret-keeper and have a sniff. If you don't mind the scent of ferrets (better than wet dog!) then go for it! I wouldn't be without mine.
