Strange but True - I know what I saw!
By ellie333
@ellie333 (21016)
May 14, 2008 3:27am CST
Hi I live in the UK and we really do not have any big cats as wild animals here except maybe in a wildlife park or a zoo. I look out of the window earlier today and saw what looked large a very large cat but it wasn't a domestic cat as its tail was very different. I done a doubletake to make sure I was seeing correctly. It wasn't a fox but was a slightly darker colour with a tail tha curved but slightly larger in size to a fox. It wandered accross the bottom of the field opposite my house. Well here in the UK there are stories of The Beast Of Bodmin in Cornwall and have been sightings of big cats on Dartmoor and even in Surrey. I know what I saw but at the same time I know people will probably think I am imagining it, but it does make sense in such a large rural area and from when the Dangerous Animals Act came in that a lot of people may have let wild animals that they had kept in captivity go. This maybe was a crossbred one as not as large as wild cats but much bigger than domestic. Your thoughts on this please or am I just going crazy?
Ellie :D
8 people like this
18 responses
@p1kef1sh (45681)
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14 May 08
Well Ellie, I've had elephants and crocodiles in my garden this week so I don't see why your shouldn't have a big cat. Not the Exmouth Emu with its head down is it? Actually, about 20 years ago my aunt thought she saw something similar in the fields opposite her house in Axminster. As you say there have been several sightings in the West Country. I have always suspected that these cats have been feral, but big with it. But you never know. Maybe you've got a Jaguar in your garage! You're not crazy though. Well, no more than the rest of us!
3 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
Well my intial thought was as the hippo hadn't arrived you'd sent something else instead 
I wished I had had a camera on me but undrawing the curtains first thing you don't tend to have in hand at that moment. It definately wasn't a fox and far too big and tail not right shape for a domestic cat. Yes perhaps it was a very larger feral especially as there is such a vast rural space for them out here. I will definatelty keep an extra eye out for it now though armed with camera so I could upload a pic and really get an opinion on it eh! Ellie :D
I wished I had had a camera on me but undrawing the curtains first thing you don't tend to have in hand at that moment. It definately wasn't a fox and far too big and tail not right shape for a domestic cat. Yes perhaps it was a very larger feral especially as there is such a vast rural space for them out here. I will definatelty keep an extra eye out for it now though armed with camera so I could upload a pic and really get an opinion on it eh! Ellie :D1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
I am going to ask them later as one of them has lived here 11years since the houses were first built and it was all farmland around then. I will make sure I have the camera near the window now just in case. I have seen so many foxes that I know it wasn't a fox and just far too big and tail wrong shape for a domestic cat. Ellie :D
@paid2write (5201)
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14 May 08
I don't think you are crazy. There have been too many reports of similar sightings of big beasts for them all not to be true. I think some of these reports may be mistakes, as some domestic cats can grow very large and some large dogs can have a catlike appearance, but it is also true that pumas and leopards and other wild cats have been kept as pets in the past and may have escaped or been released into the wild, where they can survive. I believe sheep have sometimes been attacked by unknown preditors.
I don't know about crossbreeds as I think it unlikely that a domestic cat would breed with a different species.
@kmt2207 (47)
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14 May 08
I believe you, years ago me and the other half were driving home late through country lanes and something ran accross the road in front of us, bigger than a dog, too fast to be a farm animal, at the time nearly wet myself especially when he slowed down and suggested we get out and have a look!!!
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
I myself used to have an extremely large domestic cat, people used to remark on his size but the shape of the tail was wrong. As it was whilst I was undrawing the curtains first thing I didn't have my camera on me which is really annoying as I would have loved to have been able to upload a pic for people to make the decision on adn buy the time I had looked for it of course it was gone but I will have on windowsill ready in case I see again. I only mentioned crossbreed as it was a strange size. I really hope I see again just so I know either way and also to post pic but colouring was a lot darker than a fox and tail slightly curved up at end and I see foxes all the time and this definately wasn't a fox. I Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@lucy02 (5015)
• United States
14 May 08
I think you saw what you saw. Wild animals do travel. I live in a rural area and there are a lot of woods behind us. I hear some of the strangest sounds in those woods at night, lol. One of my neighbors told me one day that he had passed our house one night and it looked like a zoo. He started telling me all the wild critters he saw playing around. There
are deer, possum, armadillos, squirrels, rabbits, feral cats,
coyotes, fox, hoot owls, etc. in our yard or nearby on a regular basis.
2 people like this
Ellie :D
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
15 May 08
I doubt if you are crazy. I think some of the wild creatures are learning how to live in areas where people are, especially if they are hungry! Also, more and more people seem to get exotic baby wild animals for pets, then turn the poor things loose when they get "too big" or aren't so easy to handle.
2 people like this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
14 May 08
I would trust your judgement on what you saw. It may be strange but you never know what is running around. Like you said many let their exotic animals go when they realize they can no longer take good care of them...or it might have found freedom by itself! Just be careful!
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
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15 May 08
Hi Jill whatever it was I don't think would harm people as if it was a released wild cat it will stay away and attack sheep and things rather than us. It will hide. I just happened to be up real early and as I undrew the curtains spotted. Thanks for your concern though. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
16 May 08
I am not sure what to think. Did you call the police or animal pound whatever is the proper authority in your area to take care of this?
1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
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16 May 08
No I didn't Winterose as there have been so many sightings of big cats in this area and no proof I really didn't know who to tell. I woke up and undrew the curtains and that is when I saw. If I had had my camera at the time I would have taken a picture as proof. Ellie :D
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
14 May 08
I have not seen anything like that ellie but I guess, you are correct, you have seen it! Wow! That was amazing, good things no kids were playing outside that time, I am sure he is dangerous, maybe looking for food that lead him to your area, I wish you were able to take a picture! LOL!, I always love to see wild creatures but in real, I am scared!
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
14 May 08
Exactly, I know a lot here have not seen any wild cat, I am excited to imagine how big it was..LOL! we have no wild cat in the Philippines and I have not seen any also in any zoo I have visited! That excites me ellie...Thanks for sharing!
1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
If it was a wild cat it wouldn't be about during the daylight hours really so children would be safe. There have been various stories in the area of a wild cat and also of sheep being killed. I am going to have my camera charged up and ready now just in case I see again. Ellie :D
@raydene (9871)
• United States
14 May 08
Hi Doll
Like you said you know what
you saw! It may well be a
released pet or like here in
the USA we have wild animals coming
into towns and attacking children
as they play ....
We are protecting them now we must manage them!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
Hi Raydene, Thanks for making me feel I didn't imagine it. There have been many sightings of wild cats here but not something I have ever thought about until today and I am so used to seeing the usual animals, deer, badgers, foxes etc that this through me a bit when I saw it. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@littleowl (7157)
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14 May 08
Hi Ellie-as you know I live in sussex and am very aware of all these things (animals) also I don't think you are crazy at all you probably have seen one of them that as you said may be a mixed breed-when you think of all the wild cats that have been let into the wild no wonder they are breeding and soon it wouldn't be surprising if we do have a race of cats in this country-hugs littleowl
1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
Hi Littleowl, Thanks for sharing I just wish I was armed with a camera but waking early morning to undraw the curtains isn't the usual time for me to have camera in hand eh! LOL. I am gonna be on the lookout from now on though with camera at the ready. Ellie :D
@littleowl (7157)
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14 May 08
Hi Ellie-I would do the same have camera round my neck whilst doing whatever and take a snapshot if I saw it again-but it must of been really exciting to see-littlow
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
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17 May 08
There have been loads of sightings of this cat thing haven't there? I wonder if it was that, I am pretty sure you saw what you saw because, anyone can tell the difference between a cat and something bigger!! I would have wanted to try and go and find it, the curiosity would have killed me.
1 person likes this
@ellie333 (21016)
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17 May 08
Oh Gemini_rose if only I had had a camera in my hand eh! It was early morning and I undrew the curtains and saw what I descibed. I now have the camera charged and in place in case I see again but since posting this I have spoken to a neighbour who has lived here since it was all wood and farmland around and both her and her eldest daughter have seen similar. Ellie :D
@gemini_rose (16264)
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17 May 08
It would be brilliant if you could get a picture!! Keep those eyes peeled.
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
16 May 08
Ellie my sweet..you aren't crazy..it was just me coming to visit but now that i scared you i think i better run and hide till you understand i'm nice and won't bite..LOL
if you hear me purring then say Hi!!!
1 person likes this
Ellie :D
@dodoguy (1292)
• Australia
14 May 08
Hi ellie333,
Yes, you are going crazy.
That, or you happened to see a passing Rottweiler in drag, on his way to the gay canines' convention.
OR it might have been one of those damn Pokemon monsters, escaped from the little Pokeymon ball that some Japanese tourist forgot to lock shut after a big Pokeymon battle in some bed & breakfast inn somewhere.
Or you might just have a few big cats roaming around.
There's quite a few of them loose here in Australia, apparently. Army mascots, cut loose and left behind when the US troops went home after Exercise WWII.
So there's probably no reason you wouldn't have a few roaming around over there too.
Worst case, just throw a Pokeymon monster at it next time you see it, and let them duke it out while you go for help.
@ellie333 (21016)
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14 May 08
Yes I'll get the Pokemon ready!
Thanks for sharing that I never realised that the Americans left behind mascots like that to roam Australia and it is quite possible that there are some here too. There have been numerous sightings over the years. I just wished I had had my camera at the time, but I was undrawing the curtains and it is not something I usually carry around the house with me eh!
What I do know for sure is that is was definately not a fox as I see many here and also was far too large and wrong shape for a domestic cat.
If I managed to see again and grab a pic I will upload and share.
Thanks Ellie :D
@recycledgoth (9894)
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14 May 08
Nope, not crazy hun, there are many stories in the press and on television, to back up these sightings. My own suspicion is that there are some large felines out there, probably escaped from captivity somewhere.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
15 May 08
It sounds a lot like the american lynx which is a little
bigger than a mountain lion or bobcat. We have them up in
the hills here above tustin and sometimes they come down
into our yards looking for food and the wildlife people
have to come and take them back into the wilds.they are
a little smaller than wild cats but lots bigger than a family
pet cat.
@ellie333 (21016)
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15 May 08
Thanks Hatley for explaining what it might be. I have my own domestic cats and I know what lions and tigers look like but pretty ignorant when it comes to other breeds really. This is a possibility as they do in fact have a European Lynx so this may have somehow got to the UK. Ellie:D
