Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Weird Animal Issues

(Please read through this and help me at the end...)

Sunday night my dog was barking like crazy.
Three feet from my back door was a "dead looking" possum.
I think my dog attacked it, but it was still breathing.

According to a wiki article: When threatened or harmed, they will "play possum", mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. The lips are drawn back, teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands.
So I had no idea if it was really dead or not. And it was three feet from my door. And it was late. And I didn't need my boys seeing this dead animal on their way out the door the next morning.

So....I got a shove and hit it as hard as I could five times. It flopped around. It was alive. Then...it was dead. I think....



I bagged it up. Threw it in the trash. Today...it smells BAD and it rotting. Another great gift to the trash guy.

Then Today I decide to clean the garage.
I find a sick cat up on the top shelf. It won't hardly move.
It has a sick sounding meow.



What do I do?

A. Give it a nice scenic ride in the country and let it hike a little bit 5 miles away from my house.

B. Call the animal shelter.

C. Feed it and keep it as a sick dying pet.

D. Introduce it to my "possum" shovel.

13 comments:

Pat Callahan said...

I think you said it best earlier in the post:

"Get a shovel and hit it as hard as you can five times. It will flop around. It will be alive. Then...it will be dead. I think..."

natedavidscott said...

lol. love the opossum story. and while i might agree with Craig Groeschel on cat-theology, I might go for the animal shelter on this one.

Roogles said...

As a well documented "cat hater", I'm afraid that I would introduce the kitty to my possum shovel and not tell anyone.

But that's just me.

Fantastic post by the way!

Unknown said...

E. Just leave some of that de-icer out in a bowl. The problem should take care of itself, and you don't have to saddled with the guilt of playing whack-a-mole with the cat.

Anonymous said...

Yuk - what did the possum do to you ? I might not have got the story, but the possum seem to be barely upsetting the dog and that's all he did. Shovel him in a bush or a dog-free neighbor -- he'd have take care of himself.
The cat - be a hero, get him to the shelter.

Bill said...

I had a possum wander by one night right as I was returning home and hit the garage door opener. The possum was spooked and went into the garage. Took me about 3 hours to force him to leave. I couldn't believe how mean and smelly a possum could be.

If the cat is really that sick, it won't really matter what you choose to do. The cat's outcome will be the same regardless of what you choose. :)

Clay Smith said...

I once ran over five possums on my way home from school. It was … awful. There must have been a dozen of them crossing the street, but I only got half of 'em.

If the cat is sick, I would definitely dispose of that cat some way or the other as soon as possible. She could have mange or some other cat sickness she could spread to your other pets and your children.

Erik Scottberg said...

shovel.

great post.

Jason Davis said...

1)Give it some food (its last meal).
2)Take it on a scenic ride to the woods. Let it start its hike.
3)Bring out your "possum" shovel, and yell FORE!

Blake Leitch said...

Well Travis you know my history with animals and I think Paradise would be a great place for the cat. Not many readers would know the story so that would make a great follow up post for you or myself since I haven't posted in about a month.

travis spencer said...

Great Comments everyone. The thing finally lingered out of the garage, now it's hanging in a nearby bush. still may have to take action...

aarondl said...

I asked Jesus what he would do and he said animal shelter. Anything but the shovel.

Anonymous said...

hit it with the shovel? ILLEGAL AND INHUMANE! YOU HAVE AN EVIL SOUL IF YOU CAN DO THAT. TAKE IT TO A HUMANE SOCIETY-- THEY WILL TREAT IT. YOU CAN EVEN CALL, AND THEY WILL COME PICK IT UP. WHAT COLD-HEARTED, VALUELESS SCUM WOULD SAY TO HIT IT WITH A SHOVEL? ASSHOLES! I HOPE YOU GET HIT WITH A SHOVEL. YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY A VERY UNEDUCATED PRICK.