First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. Second, with Possum you mean a Opossum? You are aware that that isn't a rodent, right? It is a marsupial. Third, why are you so sure that it was a opossum who killed your cat, and it wasn't a dog. Since if you are talking about a opossum, than you are also aware that they react to danger to feign death, hardly a response which would lead to the death of your cat. In africa people used to shoot the Fennic fox, because they thought it killed their cattle (if you know the diet of the fennic fox and how small they are you will understand how stupid this is). So like i said it might be wise to first make sure it was the Opossum who killed your cat, before you start shooting. And even if it was the opossum I still oppose shooting it.
Yes! It sucks here! Please, NEVER COME!!! Tell all your friends that share your views how bad it is here. Also try to convince people here with similar views with yourself to come live there!
I've trapped a few. don't faint as easily as you would think. I have seen them fight my dogs many times. TO THE OP: Handgun = bad idea. IF you can actually see the thing and are dead set on shooting it, the best thing to get is a rifle. You can get a Remington 597 at academy for 169.99 and it comes with a scope. Buy some ammo go to the range and sight it in. Then nail that sucker. Easiest thing by far is to buy a trap but then you have to shoot the sucker anyways and if its in a cage its a hard thing to do (could call animal control once its in the trap also, but they just release it like a few miles from your house) And traps are expensive and not fun. Your rifle will be an adventure learning how to use it, and target shooting its a huge hobby for a reason.
Of course they defend themselves if they are attacked. But if a animal attacks him, and it kills te attacker, who is to blame?
Not trying to talk about animal morals just disagreeing with your statement that: "they react to danger to feign death" I know this is true but I have never seen it in my many encounters with them. Even when I have had them in a cage they hiss and claw.
Wait a minute....how did the possum get into your house? Because of course you would not be so irresponsible as to let your cats out of the house and roam the neighborhood freely, right? DD
Cats are nasty creatures. Especially the ones that people let **** in their houses. Long live Possums!
First off, BUD!? BUD!? I am against ANYONE who might call themselves Bud. Adams? Selig? If you're calling yourself Bud, the only thing you stand for is FAILURE. Second, your cat was killed because it egged on an opossum. Your cat died because you let it get out. It is not the opossum's fault; it was just reacting to the situation at hand. Take some personal responsibility and do your part. If we just killed everything that bugged us or got in our way... Okay, well, things would pretty much be the same. But that's a BAD thing. The environment is a GOOD thing.
Buy a .22 pistol (assuming you want one) for fun. Twenty-two's are a great way to ease into shooting sports. They are a blast to shoot, they don't really kick, they don't make much noise, and the ammo is cheap. Gander Mountain here in Houston has 10% off most firearms (ends today). Buy a trap for the Possum.
Ya, I'm not against gun or anything, but trying to shoot a possums in a residential area just doesn't sound like a smart idea at all. Call the animal control or something, let the professionals deal with it.
You say you live near neighbors? Even if you are right to kill the opossums is it really safe to be shooting and guns off near neighbors where a miss might go into someone's backyard, or house, hit someone outside nearby?
.22 rounds can carry over a mile. People who are suggesting this guy shoot a possum with a 22 in a neighborhood are nuts.
Virginia Opossums aren't Rodents. Rodents always have two large center teeth right next to each other that never stop growing for gnawing on things, which is why rats are always chewing on things. Opossums don't have those teeth. The Virginia Opossum is a marsupial, one of the few outside Australia. The variations outside australia are opossum. The only possums are found in Australia. A squirrel is a rodent, an opossum is not.
Hmm. It's very common to called them Possums. I have never heard a Texan call them Opussum. Nobody says "playing opossum."
