The opossum is found only in North America. In the United States it is found on the West Coast and in areas east of the Rocky Mountains. Opossums have a heavy set body that resembles a large house cat. They have a long head with a pointed snout. Their faces have long whiskers.
All opossums have long, tapered tails with a scaly appearance.
The color of the opossum varies by the region. Northern populations have thick underfur that is white in color and has black tips. The pale guard hairs give the opossum a gray appearance. In the southern populations, the underfur is much sparser. A majority of their diet is composed of insects and carrion.