Possum

Just to be clear: Possum is a cat whose name is Possum. Possum is a cute one-and-a-half-year-old girl kitty who belongs to James, and they live in a rural area near Bogalusa, Louisiana. For unknown reasons, Possum got stuck in a Pine tree at the edge of the woods across the street, and she was stuck there for two nights. Her constant cries for help were breaking James' heart, but after he learned about me and called me, he finally began to feel hopeful.

Except for the troubles I had getting my rope installed in the tree, Possum's rescue was pretty simple. From a distance, she seemed pretty relaxed where she stretched her body across two dead stubs, but once I climbed up closer to her, I could see some signs of mild muscle tension which told me that she was not fully trusting me just yet. She didn't appear frightened or worried, and she sniffed my hand and seemed comfortable with my petting her head and back. Still, she wasn't warming up to me, so I spent a little time with her to reassure her. She was resting on two very dead and fragile stubs, and I thought she was very lucky that they held her all this time. My body was hanging very close to one of the stubs, and I had to be very careful not to press against it and break it.

I could not get Possum to show any interest in stepping on my lap, and at one point, I caught her looking up as if considering an escape. I could see that she didn't want to climb any higher, and, fortunately, she made no effort to do so. Her front legs were on the stub closest to me, so, when she backed away from me by putting all four feet on the other stub, I thought it best to bring this to an end and secure her while I was sure I had the opportunity. I prepared the cat bag on my arm, petted her a few times, and then grabbed her scruff and pulled the bag around her. This meek girl offered no resistance or complaint, and then I felt guilty for doing that to her. Maybe I should have spent more time with her. Maybe she would have stepped on my lap. Maybe she would have climbed higher to get away from me. I'll never know, but at least I know that this sweet girl is now down and safe at home.