Not Playing Possum

Crisis averted

The day certainly began on an unexpected note. At 5:15, I rose to take Hanna out. Hanna is my mother-in-law’s fifteen-year-old dachshund. With double knee replacements and missing all her teeth, this little dog has seen better days. We now look after her because my mother-in-law finds it challenging to do so. I had Hanna’s leash in one hand and a plastic bag and flashlight in the other. After disarming the alarm, I swung the door open and was met with quite the surprise: a possum (or opossum if you’re particular about names) right on the landing. It darted away on seeing me. In the ensuing chaos, one of our cats, Luke, made a dash outside, chasing after the possum. Muttering a few choice words, I left Hanna inside and ran out to get Luke. Hearing the ruckus, Cindee rushed down the stairs. My heart raced as I thought of what wild animals could do to domesticated cats. Luckily, I found Luke in the yard, his tail all bushed out but otherwise unharmed. With a sigh of relief, I picked him up and reentered the safety of our home.

This wasn’t my first run-in with possums. Growing up on the fringes of a small rural town, they were frequent visitors. I recalled another incident from a few years ago at my former residence. We had a dog named Akiah, a doberdoodle (a delightful mix between a doberman and a poodle). Akiah, usually calm, startled me one night by bolting out the door when I opened it. Following her, I discovered the cause of her excitement: a particularly large possum in our backyard. As she approached it, the creature flopped over, feigning death. I quickly intervened, getting Akiah inside. Curious, I prodded the possum gently with a shovel. It took a moment but finally stirred, offered a grumbling protest, and ambled away. Another crisis averted.

Despite their placid nature, it’s worth noting that possums possess sharp teeth and claws. They're not aggressive by nature, but if cornered, they won’t hesitate to defend themselves. Thankfully, neither of my encounters escalated to that point.

For more about possums, visit: Virginia Opossum - Wikipedia

To learn about doberdoodles, check out: Doberdoodle (Doberman-Poodle Mix) - PoodleHQ