From the mouth of Uncle Jim.  "'Possums are our friends."  Hard to believe
he actually said this...but he did.

Apparently possums kill ticks.   According to this article they may kill up to
5000 a year, and since ticks spread Lyme's Disease, 'possums are good.

Kent will not be convinced of this.  Maybe because the little guys have caused
so much damage to Fernnook Farm in other ways...and, they will persist in
eating the cat's food.  Just a couple of nights ago, I heard a slight crunching
noise on the porch and when I opened up the door, there was a big possum
enjoying a nice snack.  I shooed him/her away and brought the food inside.

Of course, there was the time that G'ma Opal asked the boys to catch her
a 'possum, because she was in the mood for Possum and Sweet Potatoes.
That is a tale worth remembering.