Aw, man... they didn't add the ferret as a selectable pet. I thought this update was supposed to get all distribution versions identical to the boxed version?

They can't add it as the ferret is a retail exclusive. Basically, the retailers/distributor wanted something that was unique to retail else they wouldn't sell a retail version of the game as Torchlight has been available digitally for several months prior.
However, there is a mod that you can use which will place the ferret pet right in the game.
See this post for link, etc.: http://www.gog.com/en/forum/general/torchlight/perm=331/#p_b_331

Yeah, I already knew about the mod, but the info in that post gives the impression that the ferret would eventually be made "officially" available to all owners of the game, not just the retail box owners. It seems silly that they can't do that, considering they basically gave everyone the ferret already with TorchED.

Yeah we all know how stupid it is, however, those are the demands of the retailers/distributors. And yes, even they were told that the community would simply mod it in within a few moments of the retail version being released. But they're stubborn like that, so for now Runic cannot officially add it in themselves, but they won't stop the community mod from being used either.

Anybody want to lay odds (or share insider information) on when STEAM will have this on sale again? I didn't hear about it until AFTER it went for so cheap during the holidays. I'd like to pick it up, but it's against my religion to spend more than $10 on a game.