California Woman Shocked To Discover An Unexpected Intruder Living Inside Her Stove
When it comes to keeping doors shut at home, it only takes a moment of carelessness for the unexpected to happen. Leave one open for too long, and suddenly, an uninvited guest from the animal world might find its way inside.
That’s exactly what happened to Jackie Felix from Union City, California. The strangest part? She had no idea how long the visitor had been living with her.
It all began on what seemed like a perfectly normal, quiet day in her apartment. The peace was broken when Jackie noticed an unusual odor drifting from the kitchen.
At first, she brushed it off as something simple. She thought maybe it was just trash that needed to be taken out. So she emptied the bin, but when she came back, the smell lingered.
That’s when Jackie realized something wasn’t right. Determined to find the source, she started investigating. After pulling the stove slightly away from the wall, she froze in shock. On the floor was a large pile of droppings.
Suddenly, it became clear, an animal had been hiding in her home. But what kind of animal? She wasn’t sure yet.
Curiosity (and concern) pushed her to keep looking. Shining a flashlight into the dark space behind the stove, she caught sight of a small pink nose and a pair of wide eyes staring back at her.
It was a possum.
Jackie couldn’t believe it. She had no idea how it had gotten inside, or how long it had been living there. As she shared in an interview:
“I have no idea how long the possum was in there. Based on the poo it would have been at least a week. I’m not sure how it survived, but it seemed pretty healthy once we got a chance to look at it.”
Jackie knew the animal had to be removed, and fast. She called her roommates for help, and together, they came up with a plan.
The rescue attempt wasn’t easy. Jackie recalled:
“We took off the stove’s top and had to push as hard as we could. My roommates then continued to push the stove top up whilst I waited with gloves on to catch the possum once it got out. But when it raced out, it just jumped right through my hands and ran behind the washing machine.”
Clearly, the possum wasn’t planning to make things easy. After the failed attempt, the group decided to lure it out with food.
This time, the plan worked. They carefully trapped the animal inside a large glass jar and carried it outside, releasing it back into the wild.
The relief was instant. Jackie could finally breathe again knowing the possum was gone. But thinking back, she realized there had been signs earlier in the week.
“The oven makes a ringing sound whenever it gets hit, which we heard a few times earlier in the week. I live in a house with six cats and currently two foster kittens, so I always just assumed it was the cats making the noise.”
It was the smell, however, that finally made her suspicious.
“The smell was what really made me think something was wrong. At first I thought someone had spilled some oil but as I pulled the stove back, I just saw more and more poop. I knew immediately that there must be something like a possum living in the stove.”
No one can say for sure how the animal entered the house, but Jackie has a strong guess, it likely came through the cat flap:
“We didn’t get it on camera or anything, but that must have been the way it got in. I now make sure that cat flap is locked at all times. It means my cats have to be let in and out manually, but it’s worth it to not have that happen again.”
In the end, the possum was safely removed, the cats went back to their routines, and Jackie learned an important lesson about keeping her home secure. What started as a mystery smell turned into a wild rescue story she’ll never forget.
This unusual experience is a reminder that animals often look for shelter in unexpected places, especially when they’re searching for warmth or food. And sometimes, those places might just be a little too close for comfort.
