Tiny opossum named Roger squeezes through wire mesh for a surprise visit

A tiny opossum nicknamed Roger won over Reddit after slipping through the mesh into a family's enclosed cat patio and turning it into his personal hangout spot.

The unexpected visit, shared on r/Opossums, quickly rose to the top of the subreddit with roughly 17,000 upvotes as viewers delighted in the marsupial's stealthy catio break-in.

What happened?

The original poster said the family had already spotted a young opossum before. Then the visitor, that they'd later nickname Roger, came back and made his way into the catio.

"A couple days ago, we had a little possum in our backyard that we had to gently evacuate into the front yard because we have dogs," the OP recalled. "Then last night, I hear some hullabaloo out back and I discover this gentleman chilling on my catio."

They added that they assumed it was the same opossum for the sake of the story. The animal was small enough to access the catio through the wire mesh. 

To ease Roger's exit, though, the OP noted they evacuated their cats from the catio and allowed the opossum to exit through the roomier emergency side door.

"It's not every day you see your cat hanging out with a possum," they concluded.

Why does it matter?

Roger's visit reflects how wildlife is increasingly navigating human-made spaces.

Catio enclosures, fences, sheds, pet food, and backyard shelter can all create openings for adaptable animals such as opossums, especially in neighborhoods where development reduces or fragments natural habitat.

Roger didn't exactly "invade" untouched wilderness. Rather, he moved through a landscape shaped by people. 

As urban and suburban areas continue to spread, these kinds of encounters are becoming more common, and experts often recommend giving wild animals space and avoiding direct confrontation.

Opossums are generally shy, and they can benefit yards by eating insects and scavenging waste. The saga revealed even thoughtful outdoor designs sometimes need a backup exit plan, and some humane and quick thinking by homeowners.

What are people saying?

Roger was a big hit with the community. Commenters gleefully zoomed in on his earnest face.

One provided a humorous guess at his thinking: "I am a cat. Hiss and meow, and what have you. Treats please?"

Roger's cuteness led some to think that the OP should take a dramatic step.

"LOOK at that little face," one wrote. "Just keep the lil' guy."

To be clear, cuddly as they are, the better move is to gently let Roger and other opossums go back out into nature where they belong.

Others noted that the animal crossover on display here goes beyond what people might expect, making Roger's brief, awkward house call feel less like a standoff and more like a tiny urban escape story.

"To be fair, opossums and cats hang out more often than you would think!" a user wrote, but there are other documented cases of opossums and cats tolerating each other's company rather than fighting, as opossums are typically large enough to avoid looking like prey to a cat. 

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