Big Cats in the UK

[Guest ocs1867]

Has anyone ever spotted any while out hunting?

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Not personally, mate. But a good friend of mine once told me how he was almost made late for work after having to crawl along behind a couger that insisted on taking it's own sweet time padding down a country road in front of his moter. There's more to that story .....

 

Same guy also explained a strange cat they had in Portsmouth Dockyard. He didn't have a clue what that f*cker was about. But I got him to explain it thoroughly to me - he's a Field Sportsman and good observer - and what he perfectly, and without any leading or prompting from me, described was Felix Chausse. A 'Jungle Cat'. Exactly where one might expect to find one, actually

[Guest ocs1867]

I live in North Sheffield and theres a great big woodland near where I live, there has been many sightings of Lynx and even a few Black Leopard\Jaguar. I'm not sure what to believe to be honest.

[Dawn B 212]

Been done on here before and on the other forum. NO evidence, no conclusive pictures etc... except for escaped pet pictures from the 1980's etc...

 

I agree with Millet, somebody would of had definitive proof by now if there was any.

Dawn.

[ter_gibz 0]

there was somthing one the telly about it not long ago alot of people on it said they seen some but no evidence

[ter_gibz 0]

I agree with Millet, somebody would of had definitive proof by now if there was any.

Dawn.

true

[Dawn B 212]

Not personally, mate. But a good friend of mine once told me how he was almost made late for work after having to crawl along behind a couger that insisted on taking it's own sweet time padding down a country road in front of his moter. There's more to that story .....

 

Same guy also explained a strange cat they had in Portsmouth Dockyard. He didn't have a clue what that f*cker was about. But I got him to explain it thoroughly to me - he's a Field Sportsman and good observer - and what he perfectly, and without any leading or prompting from me, described was Felix Chausse. A 'Jungle Cat'. Exactly where one might expect to find one, actually

We have done this before my friend havent we?

 

A jungle Cat is just like a bengal Cat in many ways. When folk started breeding Bengals, the original stud Cat was an Asian leopard cat, the F1 (first generation) offspring we usually bad tempered, large cats that would not live as pets, however many were rehomed as such, it stands to reason some will have escpaed and would be the most likely IMO to be living wild and be seen as a jungle or Wild cat. Savannah cats are also a domestic species that are HUGE and have been here some years, not least the "Ashera Cat" claiming to be huge and wild like in appearance.

 

Ashera Cat.

 

Savannah Cat.

[

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Some truly astounding looking cats there, Dawn! Ye've never shown me those before. Now They are 100% candidates for, probably, a good few sightings on Lynx, etc.

 

However, a few points:

 

• 1.
  
• Which of those looks remotely like an adult Couger, observed at length and close range in the full beam of headlights?
   
   
  
• 2.
  
• The 'Chausse in the Dockyard wasn't spotty.
   
   
  
• 3.
  
• If " It stands to reason some will have escpaed and would be the most likely IMO to be living wild and be seen as a jungle or Wild cat. "; How come Millet et al have never encountered either?
  

 

I wonder, come to that, how many of our more northerly bretheran have ever sighted a 'Scottish Wild Cat', even in areas where they are indisputably known to exist?

 

These creatures aren't exactly badgers or hedhehogs, after all.

[Dawn B 212]

They are just images from the net DS, plus the news article from a couple weeks back.

 

I dont think Millet has seen any, because personally I dont think there are any. Im offering an explanation for sightings that people think they have seen, and what these Cats probably are. I think domestic Cats are the best explanation for all sightings of big Cats. I have said before a breed like the one I own are big heavy animals that move low and slink along the ground. Do you think it stands a chance of a cat like this one of mine, just 5mths old in this pic, weighing 13lbs at that time, could be mistaken for a "big Cat?"

Dawn.

[FPO 0]

down here in cornwall I have seen very large pug marks with no claw marks visiable in soft mud, going towards a 5 bar gate last marks just before gate claw marks were visible. then marks over other side of gate as if it was jumped. happy for someone to come up with an explanation other than big cat, would make me feel a whole lot safer. Down here the one that have seen a big cat keep it quiet as there are plenty of people around who want to take a shot at it - even if it ment them losing their liscense over it for non target species.

[Dawn B 212]

Cats dont leave claw marks, their claws are retracted, and I doubt a cat would jump a gate, they fit through the smallest of spaces and do not expel unecessary energy. My opinion only.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I expect, having seen some of the more laughable reports I've seen, Dawn, that your cat could well be reported as a " Big Cat " sighting. But could it destroy a full grown Roe Buck? Drag its remains?

 

Could it kill a Whippet, right in front of the Dogs owner, whilst it's kit looked on? And would the Police break out the ARV and a chopper looking for it afterwards? Would DEFRA then feel the need to first claim a Badger had done the work ~ then " Lose " the DNA samples recovered from the victim / corpse when pressed on the matter?

 

Would a DEFRA employee have made up the stated fact that anything a bit tasty in this dept was strictly ordered to be sent " Straight upstairs " when I spoke to him?

 

WHY was the Aldrich Foot Snare lisensed under the Spring Traps Approval Order; To take " Large, Non Indiginous Carnivours ".

 

Not to mention the absence of answers to my earlier questions.

 

We may Think we're the kiddies. But don't ye thing the Government know a teentsy bit more that they'll ever let on to us peasents?

[harrycatcat 31]

Just imagine if them big feckers were sh*ting on your back garden.

What size shot would you use?????

[harddigging 42]

they are out there them big black cats but again its my word no evidence

[stubby 175]

of course there are,

how many parents have chucked the terrapin their kids bought in a shop for 50p into a pond, cos its getting to big,

well think back 30yrs there wernt no such thing as a "dangerous animal" license, I can remember a local pet shop having a big brown bear out back, to draw people in, lots of large rural houses had small zoo's to drag punters in, and sell them cups of tea, and £2-00 to look round,

then the laws changed, if you wanted to keep such things, you needed a special license, that cost serious money, new cages etc

how many small places thought sod it, its cheaper just to leave the cage door open, and let the local authorities deal with it.

 

a few years back, there were a number of sightings around essex of "big black cat" and I too reckon Ive seen it while out shooting, as for pictures, well people dont expect to see that sort of thing, and therefore that quick glimpse has gone in a second, the papers could'ent explain sightings at different locations, how was it getting around undetected???

my thought is RAILWAY LINES, stretch for miles joining lots of bits of essex together, no camera's, ideal for something to go un,noticed

 

theres always gonna be those who do or dont agree,

you'll be saying next that "NESSIE" aint real