Anyone experienced big black cats?

[OpeningThe Veil]

Hello everybody, this is my first post here. 

Even to this very day there are continued reports of big black cats prowling the British countryside. Being of a mature age I well remember the infamous Surry Puma sightings back in the 70's that had the County on red alert for several years, the general consensus at the time being that these were either releases or escapees from circuses, private zoos etc. following a change of law about keeping such animals. However that doesn't explain why these big cats are still being regularly seen over 40 years later. Now most sightings are in the West of the country including Wales. I live in the West Country and hardly a month goes by without another sighting. We've had the beast of Exmoor and the beast of Bodmin to name a few. Nobody seems to be able to purposely spot these creatures, track them or trap them. Why not? How can top predators exist without being found in 21st Century UK? To still roam our countryside several decades after first being "noticed" they must be a breeding population. Or are they in some way paranormal, perhaps connected to the traditional sightings of big black dogs that go back hundreds of years (Black Shuck). Perhaps back then when people were ignorant of such things as Pumas and Jaguars that was simply the conclusion they drew.

What do you think? Have you ever seen one? I have.

[openozy]

I think most sightings are just big black feral cats,here in Oz most really big feral cats are black.If there are genuine panthers you have to remember they are very elusive creatures.I have seen a tawny coloured puma in the mountains over here that came into our camp site.

[Still Waters]

21 minutes ago, OpeningThe Veil said:

Hello everybody, this is my first post here. 

Hello and welcome

You may find this thread interesting:

 

[Chronus]

I've never even seen a big cat in real life (which might be better but I don't know).

Welcome to the forum

[Essan]

On one occasion I saw what I was at first certain must be a big cat, walking down a farm track towards me, in broad daylight.   With the sun in my eyes though I couldn't make out much detail. Then it went into a field and ran off - and I saw it was actually just a fox!    Demonstrated to me how easy even someone familiar with the countryside and wildlife can be fooled.

On another occasion, whilst walking a dog, I saw a large golden coloured animal cross the track a short way ahead of us and disappear into the undergrowth.  Too quick for me to see much detail, other than its approximate size and colour.  It could have been a labrador or retriever, but we were a long way from any houses and it seemed strange that a dog would be wandering about entirely on it's own, let alone disappear like that instead of coming up to say hello to my dog .....   My dog seemed entirely oblivious to it, even as we passed the spot where I had seen it disappear.    To this day I have no idea if it was a pet dog or an alien big cat.   

[OpeningThe Veil]

Very interesting replies. Yes I've read of that tracker who is certain that such thinks exists in the UK, and take her deep research seriously.

At the height of the "beast of Exmoor" period of sightings, my family were on holiday in September in a cottage that was located in a very quiet part of the moor well off the beaten track, in fact down a dead end road about 2 miles. From the very first night we heard strange sounds after dark like a peculiar screeching. It could have been a fox of course, but just didn't sound the same somehow. We were familiar with foxes. Our pet German Shepherd seemed to be very disturbed at night some of the time in that cottage too.

On the first walk around our surroundings the first thing we found was the skeleton of a sheep! It had been there quite some time, yet the open woodland it was in didn't seemed to be used for sheep as there was no other evidence of their local presence. Of course it could have been very old. On another days hike we came through a shallow valley flanked by thick bracken on one side. All of a sudden there was the most disgusting smell pervading the path and right on cue Sheba acted up, growling whilst pointing up at the bracken area. She was completely out of character and never did that. Right in front of us on the path was another sheep with it's throat torn out. It was a very unpleasant sight and looked very fresh. We wondered whether a dog had done it, but it would have had to be a very big one.

A number of years after that holiday I finally encountered that awful smell again - in the big cat house at London zoo. The next time Sheba acted in that strange way was on a walk at Longleat, with the safari park fence nearby.

Towards the end of the holiday we were driving back down the lane leading to our cottage at night in the dark. All of a sudden the car headlights, on full beam, picked up what can only be described as a big black cat crossing the road in front of us. I remember vividly it was sleek and seemingly short coated and had a very long tail. Size wise it was much bigger than our dog. In a second or two it was gone. My mum was driving and I was in the front passenger seat. We both clearly saw it and both said the same thing; puma!  We later discussed it and we were both adamant that it was not a house moggy because it was far too big, too thickset of body and far too high and long. It looked very muscular in build.  

Thank you for all the welcomes.

 

Edited October 20, 2020 by OpeningThe Veil

[+Desertrat56]

Welcome to the forum @OpeningThe Veil.  We have several threads about the big cats in the UK.

[OpeningThe Veil]

Thank you Desertrat56 

[+Desertrat56]

14 minutes ago, OpeningThe Veil said:

Thank you Desertrat56 

You are welcome.

[Nobu]

At our place in Mexico that is south of Monterrey about 160 miles we have black Jaguars. I’ve seen them more than a few times. Enough that I never leave the home for a walk without a machete and my dog.

Where my home is at the population density isn’t that high. It’s more of a country ranch. Just in my opinion, with the population of the UK there would be more sightings by people of large cats. So I’m torn on the subject. I lived in , or rather outside of, Derby and am an outdoorsman. I’ve hiked a lot of the UK. I just don’t see how large Cats would survive there without being well documented as the food sources in the wild are not so abundant. I feel like there would be a LOT more missing pets.

 

just all in my opinion and I hope I’m wrong