| Cat | Opossum |
|---|---|
|
|
| Wins 97.50% of 1k fights | Wins 2.50% of 1k fights |
No matter where you are in the good ol' US of A, you're certain to bump into a cat or an opossum during your nightly commutes. Both animals are equipped with sharp teeth, are extremely quick, and agile. But which of these two nightly street walkers is the strongest?
The war for the streets of America will be decided in this week's Fantasy Brawls showdown. Keep on scrolling to learn what each of these beasts brings to the battle arena.
Your typical street cat's size can vary wildly depending on their parentage and access to food. The opossum's size in this showdown is easier to gauge, given there is only one species wandering around the back alleys of the U.S.
An opossum can weigh between 4 and 15 pounds, while a stray cat can be around 8 to 15 pounds. So, they are about even when it comes to weight. Their lengths are also about the same. A cat can be around 18 to 24 inches in body length, and this increases further when you add their tails, which can grow up to 12 inches.
The humble opossum is a respectable 21 to 36 inches, including its tail, which accounts for nearly a third of its body length. These two combatants are close to the same size, but the wildcard here is the cat, whose size can vary widely depending on its pedigree.
Opossums certainly have the intimidation factor down. They appear much more fierce than cats, with their monstrous, nightmare-inducing teeth and menacing gaze. Cats are adorable, on the other hand, but don't let their looks fool you.
Within each cute kitty beats the heart and instincts of a lion or tiger. Cats possess sharp claws, killer instinct, and Ultra Instinct Goku levels of agility. Their streamlined builds and fluffy fur hide thick layers of fast-twitch muscle fibers that enable quick and powerful movements.
The opossum is no slouch either. America's only marsupial is tanky and has enough strength to propel itself and its young up trees with ease. But they are built more for defense than offense and do not possess nearly as much power as an alley cat. So the edge here goes to the cat.
When it comes to intellect, the cat has the edge over the opossum. Opossums are smart as well, but their intelligence is more instinctual, and they lack the problem-solving capabilities of their feline foe. Opossums rely on instincts that are ingrained in their DNA from birth to survive.
They don't tend to 'learn new tricks' like cats do. Cats have been shown to possess great short- and long-term memory and have superior social intelligence. They can open doors, solve puzzles, and have a wide range of vocalizations and body language. The clear winner when it comes to brainpower is the cat.
Have you ever heard the term 'playing possum'? Well, that should tell you all you need to know about the opossum's aggression levels. They are known for playing dead and then running away when the coast is clear. Their instinct is almost always flight over fight.
Street cats, on the other hand, are a totally different breed. I was once walking my pug, and he made the mistake of sniffing around a pile of trash that happened to contain a stray cat. Of course, I didn't see the cat until it was too late, but from what I remember, it lowered its body to stalk my dog, just like a lion would to avoid detection.
Then, when the little demon got within striking distance, it let out a blood-curdling screech and lunged at my dog with reckless abandon. I jumped at the cat in an attempt to scare it off, but it kept approaching until we retreated further down the road. That cat did not care that I was standing next to my dog, who was also a bit bigger than the cat.
It was defending its territory against trespassers and did not care about the potential consequences. So, yeah...cats are way more aggressive than opossums, and most humans, for that matter!
As you may have guessed, the cat would undoubtedly annihilate an opossum in one-on-one combat. The cat has tons of tools at its disposal, including but not limited to the following traits:
This matchup was pretty one side but here Fantasy Brawls we've got all sorts of bouts that'll keep you guessing until the very end. Head over to the Dragons vs Wyverns battle for a prehistoric showdown that'll keep you informed and entertain for hours.
Posted by: Matt Irving on 09/01/2024
