Although 2012 was ripe with serious news, it had its fair share of lighter and just plain weird moments as well.

Some of the strangest news stories from 2012 included everything from a man claiming a squirrel under his shirt was to blame for reckless driving to a global bacon shortage to a slithering credit card thief to a four-pound hairball being removed not from a cat's stomach but that of a young girl's.

Check out these 18 clips from some of 2012's weirdest stories if you dare (Warning: content could be considered slightly disturbing for some):

Let us know what you think was the most outrageously odd news story of the year in the comments below.

Featured image via Shutterstock.com.