Grandma Thinks She’s Been Taking Care Of Three Kittens Until Her Grandson Notices One Of Them Is Not A Kitten At All
1Mviews
When Eric Hertlein went to visit his pet adoption advocate grandma at her Kansas home not long ago, he knew to expect several stray cats on her front porch, where she would always let them hang out. This time, however, one of the funny animals was not like the others. Upon closer inspection, in fact, it wasn’t a cat at all.
Without even knowing, Eric’s grandma had been caring for a small possum the entire time. “She reassured me it was one of her cats,” he told The Dodo. “I told her it wasn’t what she thought it was.” The sweet woman even named him Tete, and though she was shocked to realize the truth, she didn’t mind too much at all. “Well, the possum hasn’t bothered me yet, so I’m OK with him being here!” she reportedly exclaimed.
Eric also found out that Tete had been sleeping outside his grandmother’s door since he was just a baby possum, meaning the cute animal could have been orphaned. Regardless of what circumstances led Tete to the warm and cozy cat bed he now occupies, it seems to be a beneficial relationship for all involved. Scroll down to meet the pet possum for yourself!
P.S.: We strongly advise against taking in any wild animals, as they might be quite harmful.
A Kansas woman known to let stray cats sleep on her porch was recently visited by her grandson, who noticed something unusual
One of her furry friends, whom she called Tete, was decidedly unlike the other cats
In fact, Tete wasn’t a cat at all… He was an opossum, and the grandma had no idea!
“She reassured me it was one of her cats… I laughed for a good five minutes,” Eric said
“She didn’t realize what I was laughing about until I started pointing out the pointy nose and skinny tail. She didn’t realize he wasn’t a cat”
Have you ever struck up an unlikely animal friendship? Tell us about it below!
1Mviews
Share on Facebook
"Day 45 and that damned grandson noticed me!"
I'm bothered by people nagging about the vet. Of course, we should spay/neuter and ensure everyone has been inoculated but c'mon. A nice lady is offering basic shelter to strays. It's a kind, if not the absolute safest, hobby but it's better than animals struggling for food or shelter.
Sure, but if nobody takes them to be spayed or neutered, they will continue to produce more animals struggling for food or shelter.
like hooman
Agreed but little old retired ladies can't spend scarce funds that way. Trapping feral cats & transporting them may be tough for someone like that. It's up to people still in the workforce to do this. It would be nice if we could agree, as a community, that this is worth funding.
they do need to be spayed/neutered. Did you know opossums do not contract rabies????? They are clean, natures garbage disposal.
Yes, they can contract rabies. It's rare, but it can happen. Body temp is generally too low to support the virus. They're also immune to snake venom. They hiss and show those 52 VERY sharp (TRUST me here...) teeth to scare predators. Failing that, they 'play possum', including exuding a nasty, foul, green goo that makes them stink like they're dead. If cornered, however, they WILL bite. Jezebel, for some reason, is just a mean little biter. My late Jitterbug was a sweet boy that I'd pack around town with me, and he got to teach people how amazing he was. Recently got another rescue, SiQua, a 3 legged young female who was malnourished and thin due to the missing leg making her unable to forage easily. That has since changed. She's FAT now.
This made me laugh. Smart opossum, free lodging. Just make sure about the rabies vaccine for the rest of the furry friends.
Considering the size of that 'possum, I don't think any of those animals have been to the vet for vaccinations or she would have found out much sooner. Many places have free or low cost clinics for spay, neuter, and shots. Unfortunately, some place don't and a lot that do are overwhelmed.
Possums very rarely get rabies their body temp is too low for the virus to survive. The cats can get rabies though.
Opossums don't contract rabies , they're actually great animals to have around . They eat ticks and other insects , clean up things like roadkill , and other dead animals , rodents ...
Opossum's don't get rabies
Wives tale, they don't get it often.
They're strays according to the article. I'm doubting any of them have had shots
It is really rare for an Opossum to get rabies because their body temperature is too low for the virus to survive
In case you were unaware, opossums are immune to rabies and are also not carriers of it. It is one of the most common misconceptions about them.
Opposums can carry rabies. It is rare due to their low body temperature, but that doesn't make them immune.
opossums are immune to rabies
Resistant, not immune
Most opossums are immune to rabies.
Resistant, not immune
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Ok. For everyones edification, opossum s do NOT get rabies!!!! They're marsupials, not mammals ! Please get clear on this!
They CAN and DO get rabies, just very rarely. NO animal is a 'carrier' of rabies, they contract rabies. And yes, opossums are marsupials, but they're still mammals. As stated elsewhere, their low body temp makes it difficult for the rabies virus to survive in an opossum's system. They can also make lovely pets. Though one of mine is evil, for some reason, the 3-legged rescue is fairly docile.
A marsupial IS a mammal, just a type. There are 5 catagories of higher animals; mammals (have hair/fur, typically bear live young, produce milk from mammary glands, warm blooded with a 4 chamber heart, air breather), birds (have feathers, lay eggs, warm blooded with a 4 chamber heart, air breather), reptiles (scaled, typically lay eggs, cold blooded, usually has a 3 chamber heart, air breather), amphibian (smooth to sticky skin, cold blooded, 3 chamber heart, lays eggs, starts life with gills and most breathe air in adulthood), fish (most have scales, live in water, gills, cold blooded, lay eggs, 2 chamber heart). Within these groups, there are a multitude of sub groups, and subgroups further and further still. Please go read an encyclopedia or ask an elementary school teacher because you could use a refresher course.
Well played Mr. Opossum, well played lol bless grandma's heart
🎵One of these things is not like the other🎵
One of these things just don't belong....can you tell.....hmm hmmm
Here's our "funny looking cat". Possum-5a2...475fdf.jpg
ONE of mine. DSC00603-5...95c699.jpg
Oppossums are one of the favorite babies of mine to raise, next to porcupines (I'm a wildlife rehabilitator). I love all their little shark teeth!
Precious! <3 <3
Teehee, so cute! :D
my gramma fed anything that came when she took the pan of food out
Awww! What a sweet gramma! :D
Out from the bushes comes a mountain lion. Walks up to grandma purring and gives her a gentle head-but before tucking into the food.
Possum notes: Ive been here a week...no one seems to notice anything untoward.
We have a Possum that lives in our garage. His name is Odin and he's hilariously fat because he keeps getting into the bird food. He literally just sits there on his fat bottom as the dogs run around him.
I love this story, what a sweet lady to help so many animals S2 I do agree that she should probably get her eyes checked for it must be time to get new glasses, but I'm happy she didn't mind Tete wasn't really a cat ^^
fun fact: opossums can not and do not carry the rabies virus.
Actually any mammal can carry rabies, it's just very rare in 'possums because their body temperature is lower than is optimal for rabies.
Lynda, marsupials are the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia.
Look at all the fun stuff I'm learning today :)!
Rabies with them can happen, but its super rare! Not to mention they are voracious tick eaters (with 95% ticks eaten) and "sanitation engineers!" They have a extremey low body temperature as well and have been on this earth for 60 million years.
Lynda, they are mammals. Lemme guess: American educational system. This is why I want to take my opossums around to schools, not only this, but so they aren't see as 'garbage' animals only worthy of running over, sending dogs after, etc.
Opossums ARE NOT mammals; they are marsupials, the only ones native to the United States.
They definitely can carry rabies. Virginia health department confirmed a rabid opossum in 2010. You can check your state's stats on rabies. I do it every year.
We're lucky where we live as the last confirmed rabies case was almost 20 years back (info from both BCCDC and Canada's Dept of Agriculture). It was in a family of four skunks found in Vancouver's Stanley Park with the 'dumb' form, not the 'furious' form. When tested, it was found to be from bats. Wild bats are the only source of rabies and 0.5% of wild bats have it.
All marsupials are mammals, they feed the young with their milk.
Aww, lucky opossum
We have 7 cats indoors and put out feed for ferals. We have about 5 ferals that come to eat and drink, plus possums, coons and skunks. The ferals get along with the coons and the skunks, but give the possums wide berth. We have 2 heated houses and a heated water dish for them in the cold months. All eat dry cat food and they grow quite chubby. None of the wilds are touchable.
always doubters. but the story is great and even when found out was still welcome. so go, Grandma, you are the best and opossum is very happy and they make great pets
We have one that lives in our guest bedroom. They are actually very clean animals. They groom themselves just like a cat does and can be trained to use a litter box
Haha in your guest bedroom?
I've been feeding "outdoor pets" for years: raccoons, opossums, foxes, skunks, squirrels.... Some even eat from my hand!
this is so sweet, lucky Tate :)
surprise to see that possum just chilling like everything is normal lol
I love it! Possums are great. They help to maintain a clean and healthy environment. They eat all types of insects, including cockroaches, crickets, beetles, etc. They catch and eat rats, roof rats, mice, and they consume dead animals of all types.
Last summer I accidentally left the back door open and one of my indoor cats got out. Hoping to lure him home I would leave a dish of cat food outside each night and call out to him. Each morning the food would be gone. Pretty soon a new "Cat" would come running every time I yelled dinner. I hereby present, "Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!" IMG_2015-5...372aed.jpg
I have a 'possem and a raccoon who have taken up residence under my house. They come out all the time to raid the cats food bowls I keep on my porch. I can even get with in a foot of either of them as they are so relaxed around us. Even the cats let them eat and just sit there and watch until the critters get their fill.
Oppossums are great, but id be VERY careful feeding raccoons. Not only are they a high rabies risk, but almost all raccoons carry a parasite called bayscarilis pryonicus that causes blindness in adults and death in you children. AND then there's the fact they can also carry feline and canine distemper.
Well, I thank u for that info but there really isn't anything I can do about the fat ass raccoon who comes here nightly (daytime sometimes too). I will try not to get too close to him tho as I am aware he is a wild animal. I only tried to get close to him that one time just to see how close he would let me come. :)
*young children
I also have a raccoon and a possum (or two. often Mama brings her baby to show her where food can be found) who come into my garage through the cat door and share the food for the three cats I call my "rat patrol". The possums are very polite but the raccoon has the worst table manners ever!
Id look at the post I wrote right above yours. Its important to be informed :)
That possum is in that bed like "I'm riding this train til it gets to the station".
Here's our "funny looking cat". Possum-5a2...937761.jpg
Good for her. We are all Gods creatures
I can't say how happy it makes me that people know all of this stuff about opposums!!! Ive made it my life's work to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals, and in my area, most people just hate them and run them over.
I hope she let him stay!
the oppossum was undercover :D
Opossum's get such a bad rep, but trust me you want them around. Just for what they mainly eat and keep out of your house.
We too have a couple of resident possums that hang out for the cat food. Cats don't bother the possums, but heaven forbid another cat stop by!
Tete thinks he's a cat, too, no doubt.
Well at least they won't have ticks! Seeing as how many ticks they (possums) eat, she's got one awesome yard for furbabies!
i'm new! but i was best friends with a salimander, hummingbird, squirrel and dear! my grandma is awsome!!!!
love this story
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Love Meow posted this on its homepage 2 or 3 days ago, GRANDMA NEEDS SOME NEW EYEGLASSES URGENTLY!!! LOL at least the "strange cat"´s well cared for... 😹😹😹💖💖💖
Civet kah?
Hahaha - Reminds me of the "jumbo swerer rat" from Adventures in Babysitting
opossums are immune to rabies, for all commenting on getting it vaccinated.
opossum's are not carriers of rabies ...they eat ticks and other pests. they have no real enemies in the animal world..(I hear they taste bad to coyotes and other predators)..My mother just bats her's away from the cat food with a broom...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Dammit lady, get your eyes checked!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I dont believe at this story. Even a bling persons could notice that. Pleeeaaaaase....
I kinda agree tbh -- hard to believe, but possible (I guess)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Cute little rabies vector.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
She must be a real dumb beeotch if she didn't notice difference. Fuck!
"Day 45 and that damned grandson noticed me!"
I'm bothered by people nagging about the vet. Of course, we should spay/neuter and ensure everyone has been inoculated but c'mon. A nice lady is offering basic shelter to strays. It's a kind, if not the absolute safest, hobby but it's better than animals struggling for food or shelter.
Sure, but if nobody takes them to be spayed or neutered, they will continue to produce more animals struggling for food or shelter.
like hooman
Agreed but little old retired ladies can't spend scarce funds that way. Trapping feral cats & transporting them may be tough for someone like that. It's up to people still in the workforce to do this. It would be nice if we could agree, as a community, that this is worth funding.
they do need to be spayed/neutered. Did you know opossums do not contract rabies????? They are clean, natures garbage disposal.
Yes, they can contract rabies. It's rare, but it can happen. Body temp is generally too low to support the virus. They're also immune to snake venom. They hiss and show those 52 VERY sharp (TRUST me here...) teeth to scare predators. Failing that, they 'play possum', including exuding a nasty, foul, green goo that makes them stink like they're dead. If cornered, however, they WILL bite. Jezebel, for some reason, is just a mean little biter. My late Jitterbug was a sweet boy that I'd pack around town with me, and he got to teach people how amazing he was. Recently got another rescue, SiQua, a 3 legged young female who was malnourished and thin due to the missing leg making her unable to forage easily. That has since changed. She's FAT now.
This made me laugh. Smart opossum, free lodging. Just make sure about the rabies vaccine for the rest of the furry friends.
Considering the size of that 'possum, I don't think any of those animals have been to the vet for vaccinations or she would have found out much sooner. Many places have free or low cost clinics for spay, neuter, and shots. Unfortunately, some place don't and a lot that do are overwhelmed.
Possums very rarely get rabies their body temp is too low for the virus to survive. The cats can get rabies though.
Opossums don't contract rabies , they're actually great animals to have around . They eat ticks and other insects , clean up things like roadkill , and other dead animals , rodents ...
Opossum's don't get rabies
Wives tale, they don't get it often.
They're strays according to the article. I'm doubting any of them have had shots
It is really rare for an Opossum to get rabies because their body temperature is too low for the virus to survive
In case you were unaware, opossums are immune to rabies and are also not carriers of it. It is one of the most common misconceptions about them.
Opposums can carry rabies. It is rare due to their low body temperature, but that doesn't make them immune.
opossums are immune to rabies
Resistant, not immune
Most opossums are immune to rabies.
Resistant, not immune
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Ok. For everyones edification, opossum s do NOT get rabies!!!! They're marsupials, not mammals ! Please get clear on this!
They CAN and DO get rabies, just very rarely. NO animal is a 'carrier' of rabies, they contract rabies. And yes, opossums are marsupials, but they're still mammals. As stated elsewhere, their low body temp makes it difficult for the rabies virus to survive in an opossum's system. They can also make lovely pets. Though one of mine is evil, for some reason, the 3-legged rescue is fairly docile.
A marsupial IS a mammal, just a type. There are 5 catagories of higher animals; mammals (have hair/fur, typically bear live young, produce milk from mammary glands, warm blooded with a 4 chamber heart, air breather), birds (have feathers, lay eggs, warm blooded with a 4 chamber heart, air breather), reptiles (scaled, typically lay eggs, cold blooded, usually has a 3 chamber heart, air breather), amphibian (smooth to sticky skin, cold blooded, 3 chamber heart, lays eggs, starts life with gills and most breathe air in adulthood), fish (most have scales, live in water, gills, cold blooded, lay eggs, 2 chamber heart). Within these groups, there are a multitude of sub groups, and subgroups further and further still. Please go read an encyclopedia or ask an elementary school teacher because you could use a refresher course.
Well played Mr. Opossum, well played lol bless grandma's heart
🎵One of these things is not like the other🎵
One of these things just don't belong....can you tell.....hmm hmmm
Here's our "funny looking cat". Possum-5a2...475fdf.jpg
ONE of mine. DSC00603-5...95c699.jpg
Oppossums are one of the favorite babies of mine to raise, next to porcupines (I'm a wildlife rehabilitator). I love all their little shark teeth!
Precious! <3 <3
Teehee, so cute! :D
my gramma fed anything that came when she took the pan of food out
Awww! What a sweet gramma! :D
Out from the bushes comes a mountain lion. Walks up to grandma purring and gives her a gentle head-but before tucking into the food.
Possum notes: Ive been here a week...no one seems to notice anything untoward.
We have a Possum that lives in our garage. His name is Odin and he's hilariously fat because he keeps getting into the bird food. He literally just sits there on his fat bottom as the dogs run around him.
I love this story, what a sweet lady to help so many animals S2 I do agree that she should probably get her eyes checked for it must be time to get new glasses, but I'm happy she didn't mind Tete wasn't really a cat ^^
fun fact: opossums can not and do not carry the rabies virus.
Actually any mammal can carry rabies, it's just very rare in 'possums because their body temperature is lower than is optimal for rabies.
Lynda, marsupials are the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia.
Look at all the fun stuff I'm learning today :)!
Rabies with them can happen, but its super rare! Not to mention they are voracious tick eaters (with 95% ticks eaten) and "sanitation engineers!" They have a extremey low body temperature as well and have been on this earth for 60 million years.
Lynda, they are mammals. Lemme guess: American educational system. This is why I want to take my opossums around to schools, not only this, but so they aren't see as 'garbage' animals only worthy of running over, sending dogs after, etc.
Opossums ARE NOT mammals; they are marsupials, the only ones native to the United States.
They definitely can carry rabies. Virginia health department confirmed a rabid opossum in 2010. You can check your state's stats on rabies. I do it every year.
We're lucky where we live as the last confirmed rabies case was almost 20 years back (info from both BCCDC and Canada's Dept of Agriculture). It was in a family of four skunks found in Vancouver's Stanley Park with the 'dumb' form, not the 'furious' form. When tested, it was found to be from bats. Wild bats are the only source of rabies and 0.5% of wild bats have it.
All marsupials are mammals, they feed the young with their milk.
Aww, lucky opossum
We have 7 cats indoors and put out feed for ferals. We have about 5 ferals that come to eat and drink, plus possums, coons and skunks. The ferals get along with the coons and the skunks, but give the possums wide berth. We have 2 heated houses and a heated water dish for them in the cold months. All eat dry cat food and they grow quite chubby. None of the wilds are touchable.
always doubters. but the story is great and even when found out was still welcome. so go, Grandma, you are the best and opossum is very happy and they make great pets
We have one that lives in our guest bedroom. They are actually very clean animals. They groom themselves just like a cat does and can be trained to use a litter box
Haha in your guest bedroom?
I've been feeding "outdoor pets" for years: raccoons, opossums, foxes, skunks, squirrels.... Some even eat from my hand!
this is so sweet, lucky Tate :)
surprise to see that possum just chilling like everything is normal lol
I love it! Possums are great. They help to maintain a clean and healthy environment. They eat all types of insects, including cockroaches, crickets, beetles, etc. They catch and eat rats, roof rats, mice, and they consume dead animals of all types.
Last summer I accidentally left the back door open and one of my indoor cats got out. Hoping to lure him home I would leave a dish of cat food outside each night and call out to him. Each morning the food would be gone. Pretty soon a new "Cat" would come running every time I yelled dinner. I hereby present, "Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!" IMG_2015-5...372aed.jpg
I have a 'possem and a raccoon who have taken up residence under my house. They come out all the time to raid the cats food bowls I keep on my porch. I can even get with in a foot of either of them as they are so relaxed around us. Even the cats let them eat and just sit there and watch until the critters get their fill.
Oppossums are great, but id be VERY careful feeding raccoons. Not only are they a high rabies risk, but almost all raccoons carry a parasite called bayscarilis pryonicus that causes blindness in adults and death in you children. AND then there's the fact they can also carry feline and canine distemper.
Well, I thank u for that info but there really isn't anything I can do about the fat ass raccoon who comes here nightly (daytime sometimes too). I will try not to get too close to him tho as I am aware he is a wild animal. I only tried to get close to him that one time just to see how close he would let me come. :)
*young children
I also have a raccoon and a possum (or two. often Mama brings her baby to show her where food can be found) who come into my garage through the cat door and share the food for the three cats I call my "rat patrol". The possums are very polite but the raccoon has the worst table manners ever!
Id look at the post I wrote right above yours. Its important to be informed :)
That possum is in that bed like "I'm riding this train til it gets to the station".
Here's our "funny looking cat". Possum-5a2...937761.jpg
Good for her. We are all Gods creatures
I can't say how happy it makes me that people know all of this stuff about opposums!!! Ive made it my life's work to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals, and in my area, most people just hate them and run them over.
I hope she let him stay!
the oppossum was undercover :D
Opossum's get such a bad rep, but trust me you want them around. Just for what they mainly eat and keep out of your house.
We too have a couple of resident possums that hang out for the cat food. Cats don't bother the possums, but heaven forbid another cat stop by!
Tete thinks he's a cat, too, no doubt.
Well at least they won't have ticks! Seeing as how many ticks they (possums) eat, she's got one awesome yard for furbabies!
i'm new! but i was best friends with a salimander, hummingbird, squirrel and dear! my grandma is awsome!!!!
love this story
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Love Meow posted this on its homepage 2 or 3 days ago, GRANDMA NEEDS SOME NEW EYEGLASSES URGENTLY!!! LOL at least the "strange cat"´s well cared for... 😹😹😹💖💖💖
Civet kah?
Hahaha - Reminds me of the "jumbo swerer rat" from Adventures in Babysitting
opossums are immune to rabies, for all commenting on getting it vaccinated.
opossum's are not carriers of rabies ...they eat ticks and other pests. they have no real enemies in the animal world..(I hear they taste bad to coyotes and other predators)..My mother just bats her's away from the cat food with a broom...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Dammit lady, get your eyes checked!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I dont believe at this story. Even a bling persons could notice that. Pleeeaaaaase....
I kinda agree tbh -- hard to believe, but possible (I guess)
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Cute little rabies vector.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
She must be a real dumb beeotch if she didn't notice difference. Fuck!