Li'l Bandit

I finally caught the bandit who's been eating the catfood left outdoors for the outside cat. This was a fairly small possum that seemed drunk and unsteady on it's feet. By the look and size of it, it must be a juvenile. I was a little leery of going outside to take the photos because of its wobbily manner and lack of fear. I thought it may be rabid. It started to flee after I opened the door a little and photographed it. It fell off the entry stoop, sumersaulted down two steps and scrambled off into the bushes.

Later I realized that the flash had blinded it and that's why it displayed the disoriented behavior. It wasn't rabies. Being a mostly nocturnal animal its eyes must be much more sensitve than ours to light and popping a flash right in front of it must have been blinding! It seemed to recover fairly quickly as it scooted off around the house post haste.

The dumb look is sort of cute but I can't get past the prehensile rat-like tail. You can see it's fur standing up from fear.