You’ll rarely see an opossum roaming your neighborhood, so chances are you’ll be surprised to see one. you see her glowing eyes looking at you and you begin to wonder what creature lurks outside. lucky for you, opossums are very non-aggressive animals. They may hiss at you to try to scare you off, but if you get any closer to them, they will most likely play dead until you leave. but what if you have a cat? and if you leave your cat outside, will the possum become aggressive towards them? do cats attack possums?
cats generally do not attack opossums. due to the docile nature of opossums, cats may form a companionship with them. on rare occasions, a cat may attack young opossums if they see them as prey.
In general, your cat will not attack an opossum. That being said, if they feel threatened or defensive of their home, then they may attack on defense. but your cat is never going to hunt down an opossum to attack.
cats scare away possums
Cats are very useful at scaring away possums. opossums are very docile creatures that tend to avoid conflict. cats are more predatory and the creatures around them can sense it. if an opossum were to approach a cat, it would probably play dead and hope the cat would leave it alone. or, like cats, they hiss as a warning to attackers and in an attempt to scare them away.
Some websites recommend wearing cat fur to ward off possums. If you find that possums are frequenting your home, you can remove some of your cat’s fur from the brush and spread it outside to repel the possums. especially if they are starting to cause damage by chewing on various parts of your home, you can put clumps of hair in those areas and the damage will likely stop because the possums will look for somewhere else to go. when you brush your cat, consider saving her fur instead of throwing it away so you can have it available for situations like this.
Can possums make cats sick?
Possums can carry diseases to cats, so it’s best to keep them away from each other. Opossums are known to carry:
- eptospirosis
- tuberculosis
- relapsing fever
- tularemia
- spotted fever
- toxoplasmosis
- coccidiosis
- trichomoniasis
- chagas disease
Some of these diseases can be transmitted through urine, so even if your cat doesn’t interact directly with the opossum, she could still be at risk of contracting a disease. if you have an opossum that created a nest outside and you still let your cat outside, she could accidentally step on the opossum’s urine and ingest it when she goes to clean herself.
In addition to these diseases, opossums are also often infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. these insects travel very easily from one animal to another. if they stick to your cat, your cat could also be carrying them to infest you and your home. it is good practice to keep cats away from possums to keep them safe. It’s also a great idea to keep your cat on a flea and tick medication to help prevent infestations.
will possums kill kittens?
possums won’t kill kittens. They may attack a kitten if threatened, but are rarely killed. if in a really dire situation with no other food option, a kitten may be killed and eaten by an opossum because they are known to eat bugs to survive.
possums are opportunistic eaters. they like to go for things they know they can get. attacking a cat would be quite a struggle for them and ultimately more effort than they are willing to put into preparing their food. opossums typically eat fruits, grasses, insects, small mammals, some birds, and fish.
Do cats get along with opossums?
In general, cats will not get along with possums. Potentially, if your cat is very friendly and social, she might like a possum, but it’s best to keep her away anyway. feral cats and possums seem to have a mutual respect for staying out of each other’s way.
Possums have sharp teeth and claws, so they can definitely defend themselves. cats also have relatively sharp teeth and claws, but they tend to have a more energetic attitude. a cat is more likely to attack a possum to assert dominance over it and the possum is more likely to play dead.
Unless they fight over food, opossums are usually very pacifist animals. a mother possum will be more defensive with her young and will attack more often. other than this, most opossums avoid conflict.
how to keep possums away from my cat
The best way to keep possums away from your cat is to keep him inside. Allowing your cat outside immediately increases the risk that she may have an altercation with an opossum or contract a disease from them. your cat is always safer inside your house.
If you frequently have opossums in your home, you may want to take some preventative measures to help avoid any damage they may cause to your property. Leaving your cat’s fur outside is a great way to deter possums because they won’t want to deal with the problem of interacting with a cat. You can also install motion sensor lights or sprinklers. these will help scare them as they walk by without hurting them at all. there are also sonic repellents that emit an unpleasant noise to the opossums, so that they stay away from the area.
In general, secure your trash so they can’t get into it. eventually, they will learn that they cannot access them and will move to a new location. don’t leave debris in your yard that could act as a hiding place for them. don’t leave pet food out, or they will always be attracted to it. invest in store-bought repellent for extra security on your property.
things to consider
remember, animals can act differently depending on their environment, the current situation, and the behavior of the creature they are interacting with. opossums are usually very docile and non-aggressive. it is rare to be attacked by one. but, it can still happen. if they are hungry enough or scared enough, they might very well attack.
or if your cat is aggressive and attacks it first, it may react to defend itself. cats should never feel the need to attack possums, but again, all cats are different. always be careful and keep your cats away from possums to preserve the safety of both animals.
