Why you should brake for possums

[bullsnarfle]

69. My 'burb

is very close in to the core city, so the amount of wild 'critters' we get around here is amazing. Unfortunately, a lot of them expire due to hit-by-car, but then so do a lot of dogs and cats.

My (very old!) house is built up off the ground, critters of all stripes seem to get under no matter what you do. There is a maintenance access port between one bedroom and the bathroom, about big enough for a person to stand up, but not turn around comfortably. One winter I heard some scuffling coming from the inside, got the flashlight and pulled the panel off. Staring up at me was a small possum...not a baby, but definitely not grown (teenage?). He/she had brought a few bits of this & that into the port and made a nest. I looked at him (or her) and he looked at me...did not hiss, did not even seem afraid. He looked warm & comfy so I put the panel back up and let him stay - hell, he wasn't hurting anything.
He went on his way in the spring (would have known if he had been hit, my neighbors & I keep an eye on people, pets, ferals, etc.)...
I did find out they like dry cat food!