Eric Hertlein knows just how much his grandmother in Kansas loves animals. She provides food and water on a daily basis for several strays who congregate around her home.
To shield them from the weather, Grandma Hertlein has even outfitted her enclosed porch with an assortment of cat beds so they can come in from out of the cold when necessary.
On occasion, she even allows them access to the rest of her house.
But one of the cats she’s been taking care of for several months has turned out to be quite the surprise.
When grandson Eric made a recent visit, he saw the usual assortment of stray cats lounging around her enclosed porch.
But when he saw a furry creature sleeping in the bed in the corner of the room, he got the surprise of his life.
The sleeping critter turned out to be a possum.
Trying hard not to sound too panicked, Eric alerted his grandmother to his discovery, that one of her cats was actually a wild possum who probably snuck onto the porch seeking warmth and shelter.
But Grandma Hertlein reassured her troubled grandson that the “kitty” sweetly sleeping in the corner bed was one of her stray cats.
Since he had been coming onto the porch for several weeks now, she had even given him the name Tete.
Eric kept insisting that she notice the animal’s skinny tail and pointy nose, but Grandma still felt confused about why he was making such a fuss about one of her stray kitties.
Upon closer inspection, Grandma finally realized that one of her porch residents was in fact a possum.
Eric reports she refused to evict the intruder, telling her grandson, “He hasn’t been a bother so far, so as far as I’m concerned he’s welcome to stay.”
Even the real cats who have taken up residence at Grandma Hertlein’s house aren’t bothered by their possum brother.
It’s likely he was a baby orphan possum looking for food and shelter when he first discovered the stray kitten lounge offered by Grandma.
Eric says he’s inspired by his grandmother’s kindness to all of the creatures she cares for, saying it helps motivate him “to treat everybody I meet that much better as well.”
