A late-night household mystery took an unexpected turn for one couple when they traced the missing pears and apples from their table not to their cats, but to an opossum that had apparently been sharing their home.
Here's what to know
According to Backyard Garden Lover, the discovery happened around 2:30 a.m., per a Threads post shared by user dell (@dell.ightfull). After hearing noise in the kitchen, their husband went to check and, instead of catching their cat Polly taking fruit from a dish on the table, found an opossum, often just called a possum within the U.S.
The finding also reshaped another concern the family had been discussing. What they had taken as possible "incontinence issues" in their senior cat may actually have been evidence that the opossum had been inside longer than they realized.
"So at 2:30 a.m. we were trying to get a possum outside. And the cats were friends with it," dell wrote. "Probably been living in here for a while."
They also shared photos of the cats and the opossum, including one image of the animal sitting on the deck.
View on Threads
One person joked, "Me suddenly wondering how hard it is to litter box train a possum."
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In a follow-up post, dell said they left food outside for the opossum.
More background
In this case, fruit left on a table and a home that already had pet food nearby may have made the space especially easy for an opossum to explore — and return to.
The story also cited other online anecdotes suggesting cats and opossums sometimes coexist more peacefully than many people might expect. A commenter on a Reddit post cited by Backyard Garden Lover wrote, "Cats and opossums get along well," while another added, "My outdoor cat sits and watches the possums, different ones on different nights, come and eat cat food on the deck."
Wild animals can quickly become regular visitors around homes. Food, familiarity, and proximity shape animal behavior.
What can be done?
After guiding the opossum outside, it appeared to settle on the patio or deck, where dell photographed it during the day.
The couple left food outside for the opossum, illustrating how quickly animals can adapt to the food sources people provide.
The comments also noted that outdoor bowls and easily accessible snacks may attract more than household pets.
The experience seemed to leave them more bewildered than panicked. "I do love possums, and my cats apparently do too," dell wrote. "One came sauntering over and started grooming her. And the funniest part was my husband woke me up by asking, 'How long have we had this animal?' Just assuming I had actually moved a possum in."
Where can I learn more?
This isn't the only time an opossum has turned up where people least expect it.
• A homeowner discovered a tiny opossum hiding inside a bedroom dresser drawer.
• In Australia, rescuers returned a rare golden brushtail possum (a species that is actually a possum, rather than an opossum) safely to his possum box.
• In a New Jersey backyard, an 8-foot python turned out to have swallowed an opossum.
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