The university hospital had surmised either a dog or possum had attacked my cat. Well, last night while making the rounds of my flower beds, I discovered a dead possum behind the neighbor's back fence. It had a long wound down its belly (consistent with back feet cat claws), bite marks on its nose, and had tiny babies. It looked to me like it might have died slowly of the belly wound, which was bad enough to look gross but not deep enough to expose organs. It didn't look like it had been dead very long and this would have been six days after the fight. I thought this might be my kitty's opponent and called my vet tech daughter, who delivered the delightful news that I was to put it in a bag so it could be tested for rabies, but be sure and wear gloves. So in front of the customers at the restaurant bordering my yard and armed with elbow-length rose-pruning gloves, snow shovel, and two garbage bags, I leaned in close to shoot pictures before doing the deed. After disinfecting the snow shovel (how many people get to work THAT into a summertime conversation?!), I decided to treat myself to ice cream at the restaurant. Along the way, I met two pre-teen girls coming back that stopped dead in their tracks, stared down the alley where the possum had been, and I heard one tell the other as I passed by, "Well I THOUGHT I saw a dead possum." I left them to wonder about it. Had to have my ice cream, you know. Worked up an appetite after the job. The good news is the rabies test was negative! So if my kitty and the possum tangled, I'd say the cat won.

What do you suppose the odds are of this happening?! And hey, let me know if you want to see possum pictures! ;-)

: )
michael