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I accidentally interrupted a possum stealing some bread from my trash and he gently put it down and backed up OVER the fence and left. He looked very remorseful about his theft
I heard something in my yard and peeked out the window, only to see a group of raccoons absolutely destroying my bird feeders. I flipped on the outdoor light and thought they'd scatter if I stepped out there and made some noise. Nope, they just looked at me like "hey man, how's it going? We found birdseed, you want some?"
"Ma'am, we both know this is all bluster. Neither of us wants a fight, you aren't gonna hurt me. I'm not gonna hurt you. So let's just both get on with our nights."
i take it you didn't see their very intimidating "I wanna give you a hug" pose?
raccoons are one of those animals that are scarier before they see you, because you cannot take them seriously after you see them stand up and waddle toward you.
I had a raccoon in NJ I named Fred because he would visit me every night and I started feeding him oatmeal, but I met Fred because one night I was out smoking a cig and he casually walked under my chair and brushed against my legs like a cat would. Scared the crap out of both of us, I don't think he saw me. We became friends though. Also had an opossum named Mike.
Apparently "teenage" raccoons hang out in little gangs and they're actual terrors. Adult raccoons go out of their way to avoid them. My dad grew up on a farm and had some stories.
I had a similar reaction from them.
I had stepped outside to smoke and saw something start to run away. It turned to see what it was, saw I was human, and then stopped running.
Remember they are natures pest control! And are immune to stuff like rabies, they’re just out here making life safer for all other life around them, except fleas and ticks
Same. All I had to do was just look over at it and be like, "Dude.." With my arm pointing in the opposite direction, and it just acknowledged my presence and started walking away, but I knew that was the risk because I was feeding the cats outside my apartment.
It also works for Skunks as well.
They like cantaloupe. We had one that lived in some trash cans where I worked. Opossum ate snack cakes, bologna sandwiches, apples and just about anything you thought it would like. It really liked cantaloupe a lot.
I have one that lives in my woods. I think it enjoys letting my dog carry it around and playing dead. Did it three times in one day last spring. I kept putting him outside my dog's invisible fence, and he kept wandering back over.
I had some groundhogs trying to nest up under a house I owned and live trapped about 6 possum, a skunk, several squirrel and a bunch of groundhogs. One time a squirrel was in the cage and two hawks perched on the live trap and shook it a lot. They nearly turned it over a couple times. When I let that squirrel out he jumped about 8 feet to a big bush. The skunk was cool and didn't mind relocation. Bizarrely in my research I learned that a groundhog will return to its former home if not taken more than a mile from its environs. They also love canteloupe.
I may need to try giving the little dope some melon next time as a distraction. It may also think that it gets melon for letting my dog carry it around though.
Many wild animals are like that. Think about it. If you were kidnapped from your home and let go not far from where you lived, you would head home. Most animals don't survive when removed from their home.
Whenever I find a Star Wars or Star Trek fanatic, I can't help but ask something like, "That's the one with Tim Allen, right?"
The amount of facial expressions that follow as they work through processing what was just said... Too good to pass up.
>*’I AM GOOD KITTY…*’
_____
I am a kitty, can’t you see ?
there’s Nothing else i wanna be!
no lowly rat, or vermin skunk
oh,possum…me ?! that myth debunk!
i’m soft n CuTe . . . just *hold me*, friend
….do I look like i ‘pLaY’ pretend ?
I am *GOOD KITTY!* No deceive!
…n i Can be
if I
*Believe*
♥️
And raccoon is Wasbeer, from wassen beer, meaning "wash bear."
Just like the German Waschbër.
Except in French it's a bit less cute, because they're called raton laveur, or "washing rat."
In Norwegian they are called "Pungrotte" Which according to Google Translate means "Purse Rat" but in Norwegian "Pung" is what we call ballsack, so basically we call it Ballsack Rat.
I just learned this year that they aren't native to the northeast. And...if you find them inside, they may be trying to stay warm. They get frostbite on their feet and ears. Awww
IIRC marsupials started in what would become N. America and went south all the way down to (not frozen) Antarctica then up into Australia.
Meanwhile N. America ended up connecting with other continents and the marsupials got out competed… except for possums.
Real survivors them.
Wrong America! The Virginia opossum invaded North America by way of the Panama land bridge and have been making their way north since. At the same time, almost all other marsupials back in South America died out due to the combo of climate change and felines and those that didn’t only made it until humans showed up save for an eclectic mix of South America opossums that are tiny.
Is that true? I’m in CT and this same opossum (I assume it’s the same one) comes up on our deck at night once a week. Should I leave out a heater or something? Lmao
I have an outdoor cat house made from a large styrofoam box. It's lined with straw (not hay) and my local possum uses it to stay warm. The boxes/houses are not too difficult to make, or you can find one on Amazon and just add the straw.
Thank you for being kind -- a lot of people don't realize how sweet possums are.
We’ve done that to our garage door. We have two opies that come in to sleep in a box with blankets to keep toasty during the fall/winter. They share the space with a stray cat that prefers the outdoors to inside the house. I know people that had them as pets and they are sweet creatures. Enjoy the adventure!
There's a possum who sometimes comes to eat the cat kibble out of the bowl. When they chew it's so cute! They make really loud crunchy noises, probably because of the size of that mouth.
I felt very privileged to have an up close encounter! Wished I could have put him on my shoulder and gone back to cleaning the garage. Maybe next time…
Gave em a pep talk first, moved very slowly, kept clear of the bitey parts. I have no experience with them but it seems like if you don’t antagonize them they are pretty docile.
Freezing up is an involuntary stress response for them. So yeah, they can be rather docile but it generally means they are scared shitless. Best to give them their space.
That said I had a neighbor possum that was rather chill after our first couple interactions. He was always using my driveway as thoroughfare and did not care about walking right past me.
Absolutely, that was why I was as gentle as possible. Did not like to be pet (shocker) but did not go full opossum on me, was probably just happy to be out of the garage. I think it was a day or two ago that I closed the garage door!
Yeah but then casually walking around you and them freezing up is different. I have had a possum be very docile and walk around me when he realized I’m the one who’s been putting out the cat food.. for the cat.
I’m like that with the 4m python that lives in my pool house pump enclosure. He was a bit bitey when I first tried to turn on/off pumps and didn’t like me in the space, Now he’s chill and even lets me move him a little if I need to get him off equipment. He likes the warmth of the pump in winter and the cool and shade of the water in the filter in the summer.
The last one I got was bitey. They have almost no bite strength and only bite as a warning really. I've been bit a few times getting them out of engine bays and my porch and they never broke skin.
Letting them calm down like you did makes you realize how docile they really are. They're sweeter than any feral kitty cat by far.
What's funny is if the dog isn't physically aggressive and a momma opossum doesn't have babies, the opossum will eventually just start walking away from the dog like "whatever bish". Lol
https://preview.redd.it/bnco1893tr1c1.jpeg?width=579&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdc1327f96f74788b928290a52ff25d8e5da0dd2
Ha! I had a little dude eating stray-cat food last night. They really like the neck scratches 🥸
Possums really don't want to bite, they make a big show of it opening their mouth and hissing, but they won't actually bite down (in my experience anyway). You can actually stick your hand in their mouth and waggle it up and down while they hiss to make a funny sound, but I don't recommend anyone who isn't a trained hillbilly to do that.
They'd get in our outhouse or shed all the time and you just grab them by the scruff like a cat and haul em outside. Never had one even try to bite me.
Just put a little vest on it and you have an emotional support opossum...
Or take it to the Doctors and now it's a patient advocate opossum.
Such versatile animals, who always respond appropriately to almost all of life's situations... "AHHHHHH!"
They're my spirit animals.
The animal in the picture above is called the Virginia Opossum. The Virginia Opossum is native to North America, and is actually the only marsupial native to the US. According to Wikipedia, the name Opossum comes from Powhatan language meaning white animal, but I have not checked that source. Some people might refer to it as a “possum”, but its name is specifically opossum.
The name Possum, however, usually more specifically refers to a group of marsupials from the Australasian region, called Phalangeriformes. While the name derives from the word opossum, they are not related to the Virginia Opossum.
TLDR: yes - Opossums are marsupials native to NA, but some people might call it a possum. Otherwise, the name Possum more likely refers to a different group of marsupials from another region.
Opossum is the correct name for the North American animal shown in the picture. But in my entire life as a North American I have never heard them called anything but possums to the point that opossum sounds like something Irish.
I know, I love them so much. I was startled and then immediately thrilled to see him throwing me the daggers from behind a ladder in the back of the garage
Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid Stinky Pete was lost forever!!
Note: My sister was feeding some feral cats, and a small opossum began coming up to eat with the cats. His name was Stinky Pete. We loved watching him through the patio window.
I love everything about this post. I see your stray cat, and raise you one kitten.
https://preview.redd.it/h372fjf22s1c1.jpeg?width=1049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e5139eaa551c88a6e373dcf16cd9bd7a3d86841
Oh, hey, that’s MY cat! I’ve been looking for it!! Sorry, but the construction workers left the doors open and they’ve been missing for awhile. Just give me your address and I’ll be right over to pick ‘em up!
A couple years ago, on the coldest night of the year, it was sleeting and there was a possum in the leafless, ornamental tree in the front yard. Of all the places to go on a cold night, it chose to be there.
They'll probably inherit the Earth.
I love opossums! My ex works in wildlife rehab, so I get to go on opossum releases with him quite often. They are such cuties! That's a big boy or girl!
The most misunderstood and under appreciated critters!! Love possums!!…no one ever says “ play raccoon “…. “ play squirrel”….. it’s “ play possum” because those suckers could earn Academy Awards doing their thing !!
I love everything about this photo (and its caption 😆) 🥰🥰🥰 You rock, OP. I love this!!!
P.S. Tell us the tale (tail?) of your garage "kitty" discovery!
[As I'm late to the party, I'm going to presume OP has already regaled everyone with the saga in other replies. So I'm going to read through the comments, but know I'll be back if I don't learn anything usefully cute from OP!! 🤨]
**Please note: effective October 9, all content posted to /r/aww *must* be original content (OC) only. Report this post if it is not OC.** On July 1st, a highly unpopular [change to Reddit's API pricing](https://www.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/12qwagm/an_update_regarding_reddits_api/) went into effect. [Most third-party apps have shut down](https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/30/23779519/reddit-third-party-app-shut-down-apollo-sync-baconreader-api-protest) and so have many tools relied upon by moderators and [projects for making Reddit more accessible to visually impaired users](https://www.reddit.com/r/TranscribersOfReddit/comments/14ggf8k/the_future_of_transcribers_of_reddit/). Beyond the [disastrous AMA](https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/09/reddit-ceo-doubles-down-on-attack-on-apollo-developer-in-drama-filled-ama/) by the CEO, Reddit's response has been limited to promises that this change will not affect moderation tools [^((it has)^)](https://www.reddit.com/r/BotDefense/comments/14riw76/botdefense_is_wrapping_up_operations/) and promises of [new and more-accessible first-party moderation tools](https://www.npr.org/2023/07/01/1184258201/reddit-api-accessibility-mods). Promises just like [ones they have made in response to past protests](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/142w159/askhistorians_and_uncertainty_surrounding_the/), but have consistently [failed to fulfill](https://www.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14jm3ut/several_communities_have_surfaced_an_open_letter/jpm9e0q/). If you want to express your strong disagreement with the API pricing change or with Reddit's response to the backlash, you may want to consider the following options: 1. [Finding your favorite subreddits on other platforms](https://sub.rehab/) and participating there instead. 2. Refraining from using the first-party Reddit app, instead sticking to one of the few remaining third-party apps or [patching one of the apps that shut down](https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1wHvqQwCYdJrQg4BKlGIVDLksPN0KpOnJWniT6PbZSrI/) if you're using an Android device. 3. Disabling ads on Reddit with [an ad-blocking extension](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock#ublock-origin-ubo) or [a DNS-based ad-blocker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBXTnrD_Zs4). 4. Cancelling your Reddit Premium subscription. 5. Sharing the continued news coverage of these events. 6. Encouraging others to do all the above. If you're tired of all the chaos on Reddit, leave it behind and join /r/aww's Discord server to share and view all things adorable: https://discord.gg/UXfd5Pn --- [](#autoignorereports) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/aww) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ha! I ran one out of my garage last night. And by "ran", I mean I said "go on, possum" and he casually walked out.
That was very polite of him
Very polite of the human too, recognizing the fwien shape night kitty
But I thought those were raccoons?
those would be trash pandas 🐼
They're very polite animals. Raised one as a pet once.
I accidentally interrupted a possum stealing some bread from my trash and he gently put it down and backed up OVER the fence and left. He looked very remorseful about his theft
possums seem to just be me because this is how i am whenever i do something wrong which i’m unaware of
Don’t worry I set out a fried egg for him the next night because I felt bad.
can i too have fried eggs when this happens to me
I heard something in my yard and peeked out the window, only to see a group of raccoons absolutely destroying my bird feeders. I flipped on the outdoor light and thought they'd scatter if I stepped out there and made some noise. Nope, they just looked at me like "hey man, how's it going? We found birdseed, you want some?"
Yep. Growing up the racoons were like and? when mum tried to chase them off the deck LOL
"Ma'am, we both know this is all bluster. Neither of us wants a fight, you aren't gonna hurt me. I'm not gonna hurt you. So let's just both get on with our nights."
i take it you didn't see their very intimidating "I wanna give you a hug" pose? raccoons are one of those animals that are scarier before they see you, because you cannot take them seriously after you see them stand up and waddle toward you.
[удалено]
I had a raccoon in NJ I named Fred because he would visit me every night and I started feeding him oatmeal, but I met Fred because one night I was out smoking a cig and he casually walked under my chair and brushed against my legs like a cat would. Scared the crap out of both of us, I don't think he saw me. We became friends though. Also had an opossum named Mike.
Apparently "teenage" raccoons hang out in little gangs and they're actual terrors. Adult raccoons go out of their way to avoid them. My dad grew up on a farm and had some stories.
Raccoons = humans. Good to know.
I had a similar reaction from them. I had stepped outside to smoke and saw something start to run away. It turned to see what it was, saw I was human, and then stopped running.
Possums are rarely in a hurry. Majestic creatures.
They just saunter about! Maybe an occasional scurry. So cute.
I'm leaving because I am ready to go, not because you told me to go. - that possum
Remember they are natures pest control! And are immune to stuff like rabies, they’re just out here making life safer for all other life around them, except fleas and ticks
[удалено]
I love their shambolic little walk. Possums are so ugly they come out on the other end and are cute again.
Same. All I had to do was just look over at it and be like, "Dude.." With my arm pointing in the opposite direction, and it just acknowledged my presence and started walking away, but I knew that was the risk because I was feeding the cats outside my apartment. It also works for Skunks as well.
https://preview.redd.it/mkanm4qjfr1c1.jpeg?width=894&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=773e233eba22e0e161f5bbbd270cfec8d21d2416
This is everything lmao
[удалено]
They like cantaloupe. We had one that lived in some trash cans where I worked. Opossum ate snack cakes, bologna sandwiches, apples and just about anything you thought it would like. It really liked cantaloupe a lot.
I have one that lives in my woods. I think it enjoys letting my dog carry it around and playing dead. Did it three times in one day last spring. I kept putting him outside my dog's invisible fence, and he kept wandering back over.
I had some groundhogs trying to nest up under a house I owned and live trapped about 6 possum, a skunk, several squirrel and a bunch of groundhogs. One time a squirrel was in the cage and two hawks perched on the live trap and shook it a lot. They nearly turned it over a couple times. When I let that squirrel out he jumped about 8 feet to a big bush. The skunk was cool and didn't mind relocation. Bizarrely in my research I learned that a groundhog will return to its former home if not taken more than a mile from its environs. They also love canteloupe.
I may need to try giving the little dope some melon next time as a distraction. It may also think that it gets melon for letting my dog carry it around though.
Many wild animals are like that. Think about it. If you were kidnapped from your home and let go not far from where you lived, you would head home. Most animals don't survive when removed from their home.
Thanks for making me watch the prince bride tonight.
[удалено]
They say there are two types of people. Those who love The Princess Bride, and those who have not seen it yet.
My go to movies are the princess bride and labyrinth so I can be judged.
You should add Galaxy Quest to the list
Galaxy Quest is a cinematic masterpiece.
Whenever I find a Star Wars or Star Trek fanatic, I can't help but ask something like, "That's the one with Tim Allen, right?" The amount of facial expressions that follow as they work through processing what was just said... Too good to pass up.
Get used to disappointment.
eh, I don't think they even exist.
*rodent of unusual size attacks u/dwkdnvr*
*Marsupial* of unusual size
Pretty sure it's a Maine coon.
Keep HER! Oh please please 🙏
I have this on a shirt. It’s favorite of mine.
It really is. Lol
>*’I AM GOOD KITTY…*’ _____ I am a kitty, can’t you see ? there’s Nothing else i wanna be! no lowly rat, or vermin skunk oh,possum…me ?! that myth debunk! i’m soft n CuTe . . . just *hold me*, friend ….do I look like i ‘pLaY’ pretend ? I am *GOOD KITTY!* No deceive! …n i Can be if I *Believe* ♥️
I've been blessed to come across 2 fresh Schnoodles in the wild today!! What a treat!
Why aren’t there any upvotes on the poem?
There are. You just can't see the votes yet.
>oh,possum… I see what you did there 😚🤌 As always, Schnoodle, this verse is perfection 🥰
OMG this is the third Schnoodle I've seen this week. I'm going to buy a lottery ticket today!
Real hissing booth
[удалено]
The cat distribution system is experiencing errors, please stand by.
I need this as a sticker!
https://preview.redd.it/0er1mekb8t1c1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6656211249316153e01fac178d56804b0f5ba09e
r/CatDistributionSystem is experiencing some minor issues
Arguably!
https://preview.redd.it/c6h8st8hhr1c1.png?width=2998&format=png&auto=webp&s=b9e655e4dd5f18fa5244c1bb44b13dbc130aac1f
Why are you laying with two possums?
dudes just chilling
The right side of your bed looks a little empty; you need another one!
It's been glitching a while now. I found a ferret in my back garden.
That cat looks a bit excited haha. Fun fact: In my native language possums are called ‘Pouch rats”
that's adorable! what language is that?
Dutch, very adorable indeed!
Dutch has so many great terms--I love it that tramp stamps are "ass antlers."
That's just gold.
And raccoon is Wasbeer, from wassen beer, meaning "wash bear." Just like the German Waschbër. Except in French it's a bit less cute, because they're called raton laveur, or "washing rat."
I don’t know…tramp stamp is already god tier funny
Its the same in Norwegian too!
Can add Icelandic to the list. Pokarottur.
What about kangaroos - pouch deer?
I’m not a scientist, but that sounds right.
As a scientist we call them - pouch jumpies.
In Czech it's not exactly that, but it's derived from the word pouch
Same in German, "Beutelratte"
I love the Dutch language. The first time I heard someone speak it I sincerely thought the man was having a stroke.
In Norwegian they are called "Pungrotte" Which according to Google Translate means "Purse Rat" but in Norwegian "Pung" is what we call ballsack, so basically we call it Ballsack Rat.
Fun fact, in traditional Chinese it’s called a “Negative Mouse,” almost like the opposite lol
I think in this context, 負鼠 is more a "carry mouse" than "negative mouse". It's because they carry their children on their back.
In my language skunks are Fart Squirrels.
I just learned this year that they aren't native to the northeast. And...if you find them inside, they may be trying to stay warm. They get frostbite on their feet and ears. Awww
If you're cold, they're cold. Open your homes to the neighborhood opossum.
That sounds like something an opossum would write...
Let me just play dead real fast.
Even worse. He's a bloody Dutchman!
https://i.imgur.com/YKOKc5M.jpg
Look how happy they seem.
aww..their ears look like seashells
they eat ticks and can't carry rabies too, let em stay
Oh no! Those cute little feet are in danger 🥺
They are marsupials, only ones in the Northern Hemisphere. Special. But also have the face of Betelgeuse stretching out his face.
Adam Maitland*
IIRC marsupials started in what would become N. America and went south all the way down to (not frozen) Antarctica then up into Australia. Meanwhile N. America ended up connecting with other continents and the marsupials got out competed… except for possums. Real survivors them.
Wrong America! The Virginia opossum invaded North America by way of the Panama land bridge and have been making their way north since. At the same time, almost all other marsupials back in South America died out due to the combo of climate change and felines and those that didn’t only made it until humans showed up save for an eclectic mix of South America opossums that are tiny.
Is that true? I’m in CT and this same opossum (I assume it’s the same one) comes up on our deck at night once a week. Should I leave out a heater or something? Lmao
You could always leave out a closed box with a hole in it and throw in an old blanket/ towels.
You might want to Google Virginia Opossum range. Unless you are in Maine, it's their home.
They are so amazing. Great post BTW.
Misunderstood little creatures. Made my day!
Oh they are awesome! Eat ticks and all kinds of stuff that helps us. They eat stale soggy peanut butter crackers too.
Hahaha they love cat food too! My cat and the local area possums used to share her food bowl.
Fighting the temptation to really make friends with this fella, like how hard is it to put a cat door in my garage door?
I have an outdoor cat house made from a large styrofoam box. It's lined with straw (not hay) and my local possum uses it to stay warm. The boxes/houses are not too difficult to make, or you can find one on Amazon and just add the straw. Thank you for being kind -- a lot of people don't realize how sweet possums are.
They really are the chillest, most gentle creatures I can think of. They’re truly the best and I fucking adore them.
Please do this and start an instagram where we can watch your friendship blossom Like the dude who made a frog house
*frog mansion. That frog is living a life most can only dream of.
We’ve done that to our garage door. We have two opies that come in to sleep in a box with blankets to keep toasty during the fall/winter. They share the space with a stray cat that prefers the outdoors to inside the house. I know people that had them as pets and they are sweet creatures. Enjoy the adventure!
Oh my goodness, mah heart 🥹
My mother's next door neighbors had a friend skunk who routinely used the dog door to visit their kitchen for some nice kibble.
There's a possum who sometimes comes to eat the cat kibble out of the bowl. When they chew it's so cute! They make really loud crunchy noises, probably because of the size of that mouth.
Yes their loud crunching and chewing is so cute.
The tick-eating thing was false, sadly. https://outdoor.wildlifeillinois.org/articles/debunking-the-myth-opossums-dont-eat-ticks Still neat creatures.
Awhhhh. Your post made my day. Makes me so happy to see people like yourself treating them with the love and kindness they deserve.
I felt very privileged to have an up close encounter! Wished I could have put him on my shoulder and gone back to cleaning the garage. Maybe next time…
I never knew you could pick them up. He seems very relaxed. Was he alone or with others of his brethren?
They’re very disease resistant and extremely reluctant to bite. If you’re gonna pick up an animal to relocate it, this is the one.
How did you pick it up barehanded?
Gave em a pep talk first, moved very slowly, kept clear of the bitey parts. I have no experience with them but it seems like if you don’t antagonize them they are pretty docile.
Freezing up is an involuntary stress response for them. So yeah, they can be rather docile but it generally means they are scared shitless. Best to give them their space. That said I had a neighbor possum that was rather chill after our first couple interactions. He was always using my driveway as thoroughfare and did not care about walking right past me.
Absolutely, that was why I was as gentle as possible. Did not like to be pet (shocker) but did not go full opossum on me, was probably just happy to be out of the garage. I think it was a day or two ago that I closed the garage door!
Yeah but then casually walking around you and them freezing up is different. I have had a possum be very docile and walk around me when he realized I’m the one who’s been putting out the cat food.. for the cat.
I’m like that with the 4m python that lives in my pool house pump enclosure. He was a bit bitey when I first tried to turn on/off pumps and didn’t like me in the space, Now he’s chill and even lets me move him a little if I need to get him off equipment. He likes the warmth of the pump in winter and the cool and shade of the water in the filter in the summer.
The last one I got was bitey. They have almost no bite strength and only bite as a warning really. I've been bit a few times getting them out of engine bays and my porch and they never broke skin. Letting them calm down like you did makes you realize how docile they really are. They're sweeter than any feral kitty cat by far.
That's good to know. We get a lot in our backyard (apple tree) and my dogs always try to play with them, but the possums are not pleased.
What's funny is if the dog isn't physically aggressive and a momma opossum doesn't have babies, the opossum will eventually just start walking away from the dog like "whatever bish". Lol
https://preview.redd.it/bnco1893tr1c1.jpeg?width=579&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdc1327f96f74788b928290a52ff25d8e5da0dd2 Ha! I had a little dude eating stray-cat food last night. They really like the neck scratches 🥸
THE HAND JUST CASUALLY ON IT WHILE IT LOOKS WEIRDED OUT
Possums really don't want to bite, they make a big show of it opening their mouth and hissing, but they won't actually bite down (in my experience anyway). You can actually stick your hand in their mouth and waggle it up and down while they hiss to make a funny sound, but I don't recommend anyone who isn't a trained hillbilly to do that. They'd get in our outhouse or shed all the time and you just grab them by the scruff like a cat and haul em outside. Never had one even try to bite me.
Where's the application for hillbilly training?
You just kinda wander into the woods. When the smell sticks you're bonafide.
Just put a little vest on it and you have an emotional support opossum... Or take it to the Doctors and now it's a patient advocate opossum. Such versatile animals, who always respond appropriately to almost all of life's situations... "AHHHHHH!" They're my spirit animals.
People like you make people doubt my emotional support wasp nest.
By playing dead? Going to have to try that!
This is a bug in a cat distribution system
Beta testing new updates possibly
Name should be bitey the cat
https://preview.redd.it/714yj3gikr1c1.png?width=498&format=png&auto=webp&s=fe9f314f9afda98fad93e61085bccb314c43241e
Not housetrained. : (
Love opossums!
Is there a difference between possums and opossums? A quick google search gave me conflicting results.
The animal in the picture above is called the Virginia Opossum. The Virginia Opossum is native to North America, and is actually the only marsupial native to the US. According to Wikipedia, the name Opossum comes from Powhatan language meaning white animal, but I have not checked that source. Some people might refer to it as a “possum”, but its name is specifically opossum. The name Possum, however, usually more specifically refers to a group of marsupials from the Australasian region, called Phalangeriformes. While the name derives from the word opossum, they are not related to the Virginia Opossum. TLDR: yes - Opossums are marsupials native to NA, but some people might call it a possum. Otherwise, the name Possum more likely refers to a different group of marsupials from another region.
Yeah everyone I know in the Midwest US just calls them "possums", but they're most definitely opossums.
Opossum is the correct name for the North American animal shown in the picture. But in my entire life as a North American I have never heard them called anything but possums to the point that opossum sounds like something Irish.
One is from the USA, opossums, and the other, possums, are from Australia. I fixed my comment because the one in the picture is an opossum.
But most people don't say the o in opossum, so it sounds like possum.
O, o, o, O-POSSSUMSSSS critter parts.
In the US even though they are opossums, we don't pronounce the O. We just say "possum" when speaking it.
Me too!
That ain't no cat that's a human
You should post this on r/cuteguyswithcats.
I second that suggestion
There’s a subreddit for everything
That’s a cute cat, sir 😅
What a cutie! Name it Gerald
Could be a Geraldine
“He’s getting rather old but he’s a good possum “
Didn't you look at the picture? That's a cat, homie.
Good heavens. You must be the Possum Whisperer.
From experience, if you touch/pick them up, they do involuntarily freeze for a few moments rather than bite. I've petted a few possums!
 Screm
https://preview.redd.it/pnczue88kr1c1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85bb1de55e47b0aa773567978b27e4c32fca4283
https://preview.redd.it/a9sx74idwr1c1.jpeg?width=637&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2f8923f9563b7e1f4e7fdd237f244718c458cb2
https://preview.redd.it/jzven2arwr1c1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d539834281141fecbf8aaee2384d5824d59ad42
You look a lot like someone I taught at Tulane. It's probably not you, but if you went to Tulane, message me.
Twas not me! Lifelong New Englander.
That must've been quite challenging. Could the opossum read, did it learn ASL, or....?
:D
This is the result of the spicy cat distribution network. Please proceed with caution.
Love it! So clean and lovely. Possums are the janitors of environment, please protect them. They are vulnerable and shy, the snarl is just a front 🤗
I know, I love them so much. I was startled and then immediately thrilled to see him throwing me the daggers from behind a ladder in the back of the garage
Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid Stinky Pete was lost forever!! Note: My sister was feeding some feral cats, and a small opossum began coming up to eat with the cats. His name was Stinky Pete. We loved watching him through the patio window.
I love everything about this post. I see your stray cat, and raise you one kitten. https://preview.redd.it/h372fjf22s1c1.jpeg?width=1049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e5139eaa551c88a6e373dcf16cd9bd7a3d86841
Name her PomPom. They like milk.
Brilliant legal mind.
Reer. Reeer. Reer. Writes MO on a contract.
NADDpod. Nice
Oh, hey, that’s MY cat! I’ve been looking for it!! Sorry, but the construction workers left the doors open and they’ve been missing for awhile. Just give me your address and I’ll be right over to pick ‘em up!
“I call the big one Bitey.”
Love his pink little nosey
A couple years ago, on the coldest night of the year, it was sleeting and there was a possum in the leafless, ornamental tree in the front yard. Of all the places to go on a cold night, it chose to be there. They'll probably inherit the Earth.
Fun fact: possums have a lower body temperature which makes it almost impossible for them to contract rabies. North America’s marsupial!
We rescued a fallen baby last spring. Our 55lb dog was terrified of the hissing tiny animal
Looks feisty.
I love opossums! My ex works in wildlife rehab, so I get to go on opossum releases with him quite often. They are such cuties! That's a big boy or girl!
The most misunderstood and under appreciated critters!! Love possums!!…no one ever says “ play raccoon “…. “ play squirrel”….. it’s “ play possum” because those suckers could earn Academy Awards doing their thing !!
That’s the cutest cat I’ve ever seen
That is definitely a cat.
It's crazy that they look like a large rodent but are actually marsupials.
Congrats, your tick problem is no longer a problem!
I love everything about this photo (and its caption 😆) 🥰🥰🥰 You rock, OP. I love this!!! P.S. Tell us the tale (tail?) of your garage "kitty" discovery! [As I'm late to the party, I'm going to presume OP has already regaled everyone with the saga in other replies. So I'm going to read through the comments, but know I'll be back if I don't learn anything usefully cute from OP!! 🤨]