Opossum

Opossum, primitive arboreal marsupial of the Americas. Opossums are carnivorous and usually have a prehensile tail, which coils around to grasp. The pouch is developed only in some species, but all have an uneven number of teats, as many as 17 in the Virginian opossum. In size, opossums vary from mouselike to the size of a domestic cat.