MY FINAL POSSUM TALE

Apparently some of my neighbors have real issues with the strays and ferals. Since my TNR class is coming up soon, I've been talking to some of the neighbors to prepare them for what I'll be doing.

One neighbor said he had no problem, the cats didn't bother him. They hang out in his yard but he doesn't feed them. However, he did tell me that another neighbor has a problem with them and puts out ammonia to get rid of them. I gathered from the way he talked, my neighbors 'had words'.

A few days later when Annie and I were leaving the house for a late afternoon walk, the other neighbor was outside. We started talking about Annie. Naturally I steered the conversation to the cats. She complained about them hanging out in her alleyway and backyard, telling me she wanted to have her exterminator trap them explaining he then takes them to New Jersey, releasing them where they can't get back to Brooklyn.

I told her not to do this explaining that I will soon be certified to handle the cats through a program supported by the Mayor's Alliance and it's the best way to deal with the stray cat issue. Artie pointed out the cats take care of rats and mice which apparently our neighbor didn't think about.

Then she complained about having to buy expensive garbage cans because the cats get into the garbage. I pointed out the cats possibly weren't the garbage culprits because we have raccoons coming through the neighborhood. Adamantly she replied "I've never seen raccoons" to which my brother and I chorused "Oh, we have! More than once." She was stunned.

Next it was my turn to be stunned as she mentioned she had a possum so she called the exterminator, had him trap it and relocate it. I told her not to call the exterminator for possums - they don't carry rabies and they are around because the City brought them in to deal with the rat population. She looked at me as if I were crazy or having some sort of hallucinations. 

Needless to say I was heartbroken. What is the probability of there being 2 possums on the same block? She trapped Pat Possumwaithe and had him taken away. I can only hope the exterminator DID relocate him as he said instead of killing him. So now we know why Pat isn't around anymore.