Table of Contents
Will a possum hurt my cat?
Opossums do not prey on cats or other larger mammals but will attack them if cornered, or if competing for food. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice; and are hosts for cat and dog fleas, and flea-borne typhus.
Do possums scare cats?
Adult opossums and cats seem to have a mutual respect and leave each other alone. In general, opossums are docile, non-aggressive animals and will not attack your pets. If not, the threatened opossum may “play ‘possum”, show its teeth, or bite in self-defense, as any animal would.
Who would win a fight between a cat and a possum?
In short, the answer is a resounding yes, but perhaps not in the way that you would have thought! The possum is around the same size as a cat, with around 50 razor sharp teeth, and some rather serious claws, both of which could theoretically rip shreds out of your cat in a standoff.
Do possums carry diseases fatal to cats?
Opossums look a little bit like huge rats, so they’ve been mistakenly associated with disease. But, with very few exceptions, opossums can’t and don’t carry the same viruses that infect humans and pets.
How do you scare away a possum?
Simple Scare Tactics
- Tie helium balloons around your yard to sway in the wind and startle the possums away.
- Place pinwheels, found in party supply stores, in the soil around your plants.
- Set up an oscillating fan in your garden with an extension cord.
- Play a portable radio in your yard.
Are possums afraid of humans?
Opossums are much more afraid of humans than we are of them. There are two lines of defense for an opossum when confronted by a human. They will rarely attack, or they will play dead to avoid confrontation. This repulsive smell will drive away humans and predators alike and smells like a rotten or dead animal.
Is it possible for a possum to kill a cat?
In theory, a possum can kill a house cat. But it is extremely rare. In fact, cats, both stray cats and even pet cats, kill a far larger number of opossums, especially the young opossums, which aren’t much different in size or appearance than a rat!
What kind of disease can you get from a possum?
Toxoplasmosis, for example, is a disease that is often carried by cats, and can easily be transferred from the possum to your pet in the form of urine, contaminated water, or soil.
Is the possum the same size as a cat?
In short, the answer is a resounding yes, but perhaps not in the way that you would have thought! The possum is around the same size as a cat, with around 50 razor sharp teeth, and some rather serious claws, both of which could theoretically rip shreds out of your cat in a standoff.
Can a cat get hurt by an opossum?
However, if you’re dealing with an adult opossum, if it is threatened and needs to defend itself, it may injure a cat. But to be honest, it’s more likely to just stand still while displaying its teeth, or even play dead! All in all, opossums generally stick to themselves.