“Ugly.” “Gross.” “What the hell is that?” These are often the first reactions when people meet Possum, an unusual cat with gray fur, bald patches, and a rat-like tail.

I hate when people need to ask unnecessary questions that might offend someone, without knowing the background story.

On the other hand, there are those people who feel sorry for Possum, thinking that she has mange, or that she’s been a burn victim. I think it would be better for them not to comment at all until they learn Possum’s story. Here it is!

You should never judge a book by its cover! It’s the same with Possum and her appearance. If it weren’t for  Stephanie, she wouldn’t have found a loving owner so easily, and then she wouldn’t have learned what true love is.

Stephanie says that Possum is perfect. Not only that, she says that Possum is the most beautiful cat in the world, both inside and out. But, why do people react like that? What happened to this poor cat?

Possum was one of several kittens born in Stephanie’s co-worker’s backyard in central North Carolina. 

When Stephanie’s co-worker found out about the kittens, she soon realized that the mother cat was feral, so she did her best to take care of her and her newborn kittens.

When she examined the kittens closely, she immediately noticed something unusual. All the kittens looked just like their mother; they were short-haired with a calico pattern.

Among them, there was a gray and almost entirely bald kitten, which later turned out to be Possum.  

No one knew how that was possible, but it is thought that Possum has recessive genes of a werewolf cat Lykoi or similar. But, that definitely marked her destiny.

Soon, all the kittens from the litter had found loving homes, except one, of course, Possum. Nobody wanted to adopt her. 

Stephanie and her co-worker were worried; they didn’t want to leave Possum in the shelter because they thought they would either euthanize her immediately or that she’d never find a home. 

While thinking about what to do with Possum, Stephanie slowly began to fall in love with her. Even though she had a full house at that time, she finally decided to adopt Possum and make her a part of her family. Stephanie said:

“I felt and still feel like she would have been euthanized if she went there. I live in the South, and a lot of people in this area don’t view cats as pets. I’ve heard a lot of stories about people using them as target practice. I’ve known some pretty horrible people who will speed up if they see a cat in the street. A lot of people in this area won’t or can’t afford to spay or neuter, so we have a huge feral problem.”

I think they were destined to meet and be together, and I’m glad they did. If Stephanie hadn’t adopted Possum, who knows what would have happened to her. One thing is for sure – this “ugly” cat would never know she could be loved if it weren’t for Stephanie. 

Stephanie added:

“With her looking the way she does, I just didn’t feel like her chance of getting adopted was good.”

Stephanie did the right thing. She has a beautiful feline friend with a huge heart. Possum has blossomed in her loving and forever home, and she isn’t any different from other cats.