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We have something that looks like a diseased, antediluvian giant rat living outside the glass doors. We have named him, her, or it Mange. Mange came first to get some scraps of food we tossed out there in the snow. Seeing they had come to good use-- assuming feeding a possum counts as 'good'-- we've been tossing the occasional gob of bacon grease or bowlful of stale cat food out there. They are always appreciated.
Possums are alarming. That guy in the animated toothbrush commercial whose jaw opened so wide his entire head unhinged? Possums can do that. They are also possessed of more teeth than any three large rat-like creatures should have. I'm convinced all of this has an impact on their intelligence, or lack of it; so many teeth and a jaw that hinges so wide, in such a narrow skull, only leaves room for a brain about the size of a pencil eraser.
Possums are also just plain ugly. Well, you'd expect that. Their chief survival strategy is (1) have lots of kids and (2) when the predator catches you, appear to be diseased, then dead and putrefying. Ugly is a major part of their evolutionary strategy.
But after you get used to them their odd proportions start to make sense. When they're not unhinging that jaw to HISSSSSSSS at you, they can look almost cute.
Penny the Cat is appalled. We already let the kittens in here, a couple three years ago now, and they never did leave. She is guarding the back door so we can't let Mange in while she isn't looking. Also, in typical cat logic, she has taken to attacking the "kittens" again. They're well grown, and quite able to nail her back. Why they haven't done so yet I don't know.
Possums are alarming. That guy in the animated toothbrush commercial whose jaw opened so wide his entire head unhinged? Possums can do that. They are also possessed of more teeth than any three large rat-like creatures should have. I'm convinced all of this has an impact on their intelligence, or lack of it; so many teeth and a jaw that hinges so wide, in such a narrow skull, only leaves room for a brain about the size of a pencil eraser.
Possums are also just plain ugly. Well, you'd expect that. Their chief survival strategy is (1) have lots of kids and (2) when the predator catches you, appear to be diseased, then dead and putrefying. Ugly is a major part of their evolutionary strategy.
But after you get used to them their odd proportions start to make sense. When they're not unhinging that jaw to HISSSSSSSS at you, they can look almost cute.
Penny the Cat is appalled. We already let the kittens in here, a couple three years ago now, and they never did leave. She is guarding the back door so we can't let Mange in while she isn't looking. Also, in typical cat logic, she has taken to attacking the "kittens" again. They're well grown, and quite able to nail her back. Why they haven't done so yet I don't know.
