MOORLAND BEAST? NO, IT'S TEACHER'S OVERWEIGHT PET
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11:00 - 01 August 2005
A big cat dubbed the Moorland Beast has been unmasked as an overweight pet. Residents in East Ogwell, near Newton Abbot, have reported several recent sightings of a panther-like creature prowling the streets. One resident reported seeing "a black feline at least 2ft 6in tall" stalking fields on the edge of the village.
However, retired teacher Mike Healy, 66, believes the monster is his 28lb pet cat, Sebastian. He was alerted when his neighbour told him of the beast prowling fields 200 yards from his home.
"It had to be Sebastian," he said. "The thing is, he is larger than a domestic cat, and he does move differently. He slinks around like John Wayne playing a gunslinger. But as for being a dangerous animal, that's absurd. The only time he's a danger is when he lies on you."
The mysterious cat - known locally as the Moorland Beast - is part of local folklore in East Ogwell with a number of recent sightings. Mr Healy is convinced the beast is Sebastian - not only because of his astonishing size, but because he has been sighted in fields near his house.
Now aged four and a half, he is close to being one of the biggest cats on record. Mr Healy said: "When we got him, he was the same size as a normal kitten. The only thing that stood out was how fearless he was. He wasn't scared of the Hoover or even the lawn mower. After a while we realised he just wasn't very bright."
What Sebastian lacked in brains, he has more than made up for in bulk.
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