There is a possum in my backyard. I also have a puppy and a kitten will it hurt them if my cat goes out side??

Question

the possum is stuck and it wont die because he eats the dogs left overs.Will the possum hurt my animals?Help me!!

Answer 1

I have to ask -- just how is this possum stuck? They are dang good climbers, so if it is able to get to the dog's leftovers, I am not sure how stuck it could really be.

Next, possum's are not as good at "playing possum" as their reputations suggest. They are very very common in my area, and most dogs and no cats worry them at all -- they have one of the most wicked looking sets of teeth I have ever seen or could ever imagine. Your animals are subject to both injury and disease with that thing around. I'd either make it unstuck or find my shotgun in something of a rush.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Possums will not bother cats or dogs unless attacked. I doubt that the possum is "stuck," as possums are extremely good at climbing trees and fences.

If the possum is a problem, you can live trap it and release it elsewhere. However, another one will likely move in, because there is a food source attracting the possum to your yard or he would be scrounging elsewhere.

Personally, I would remove any food sources, such as dropped crab apples and pet food outside, and run the possum out with a broom if I was that concerned about the possum. Or teach the dog to stay away from it. Possums and cats usually get along quite well and it's not uncommon to see them eating from opposite sides of the cat's food dish at the same time. Dogs can be taught that the possum is off limits.

Our yard gets possums on a regular basis and we have two dogs. The dogs chase the possum up a tree, then they come back in, and the possum climbs down and goes about his business. No one is severely inconvenienced by this arrangement, not even the possum.

Answer 3

The dog might put some advanced whoopage on the possum, especially if he catches him going around his food. Possums don't usually attack animals bigger than bugs. Bugs is what they eat, which is why their snouts and teeth are shaped the way they are. The only time a possum gets anything bigger to eat is if it finds the other animal laying dead. Yes that makes them bug eating scavengers, but the same could be said of a dog or cat.

It's best not to assign too many human attributes or morals to animals.

Again, the possum is probably the one in danger.

Raccoons and foxes would pose more of a threat, especially to the kitten, and if you live where there are plenty of possums you probably have lots of coons and foxes. Keep an eye out for them, keep the cat and dog in the house at night, (these other animals are nocturnal, you seldom see them during the day)

And if you see a skunk, fox or raccoon in the daytime, anything later than half an hour past sunrise, there might be something wrong with it, and it would be a good idea to get the kitten and puppy back inside. Even when they get full grown. Rabies is such a little tiny virus, but it whoops the biggest of animals.

Answer 4

If your pet hassles the possum, it could well fight back. They can bite, but they are not aggressive.
Actually they do not carry diseases, as their body temperature is lower than humans, dogs or cats. They don't support the organisms that infect us.
I knew a woman whose dog, when she let him out to pee at night, would always run to the far end of the yard to attack the possum, and would come back with possum bites. Finally she started using a leash at night.
The possums that I have seen in my yard are the ones who fainted at the sight or sound of my dogs. I would pick them up, maybe take pictures, put them down and they would revive and walk away.

Answer 5

It could. They have a nice set of teeth. They are very slow animals. Any dog or cat can easily outmaneuver the possum if they are smart enough to do so.

Call you county or city animal control folks and see if they will come out an collect the poor possum and turn it loose far away in an appropriate setting.

Answer 6

Depends on how old the opossum is. The older, the more cautious I'd be. We had a juvenile get in our house through our cat door. We put him out only to have him come back in and this time he stayed hidden for 3 days. I was very nervous about since they have very sharp teeth. He never bothered any of us or our cats, I left my dogs outside those nights. In what way is the opossum stuck. Try calling animal control to have him removed. The one that got in our house was the last of it's siblings, my dogs killed all the others. The mother was finally killed by getting run over. I don't particularly like opossums, but if I ever came across a juvenile younger then the one that was in my house I'd take care of it for as long as it was needed. But I'm one who allowed bobcats, mom and 3 babies, to live under my home for 3 winter seasons. This year we have a red fox that moved in under my sons shed ( 4' form house). My vet tried to get my boys to catch an injured baby deer (didn't catch) at my home since we have a goat and a lamb with a barn. Just used caution when taking the puppy or kitten out. I'd keep the kitten in however if it very young, under 6 months. Opossums are supposed to be nocturnal, but not always true. We see most of the ones at my house during the daytime. If ever snarls at you or acts differently from how its been behaving, get all your animals in at once, you can't chance that it doesn't have rabies if this happens. Call animal control right away to be on safe side. Good luck

Answer 7

No most Possums freeze up when approached by anything I have a miniature Rat terrier that barked at a possum and the Possum fell off the fence from Freezing up in fright....

Answer 8

Call animal control or wildlife rescue or something. Do not let your pets outside! The possum could be carrying any number of diseases and parasites, and you don't want him biting your pets. A wildlife trapper can get rid of the possum for you humanely.

Answer 9

Yes it can, they have 55 teeth more teeth than any other mammal. Try to keep your backyard free of food and hopefully that will make the possum move along and not stay.

Answer 10

I think it will hurt your animals if it feels threatened. possums are mean. Where is it stuck? Can you help it get out? Feed your dog inside. I hate to see anything suffer though. hmmm...what about animal control?