Big cat sighted in Sittingbourne
Could the big cat spotted
at Sittingbourne be similar to the puma pictured above?
by Hayley Robinson
hrobinson@thekmgroup.co.uk
A big cat has been sighted in Sittingbourne.
Kent Big Cat researcher Neil Arnold says a couple contacted him
claiming to have seen a large Labrador-sized cat which was beige in
colour with a thick long tail behind the Cross and Wells fruit
packaging factory at Milton Creek, Saxon Shore Way on the Eurolink
Estate.
The couple, who spotted the big cat as they were walking their
dogs at about 3pm on December 20, claim the creature sprang into
the air, causing a pheasant to take off. The animal then walked
along the bank and sprung in to the air once more before
disappearing in the undergrowth out of sight.
According to Mr Arnold, over the last year there have been
several sightings of both a puma and black leopard around
Sittingbourne and the Medway Towns. The last two sightings at
Sittingbourne emerged a couple of months ago at Bobbing and Iwade,
but more recently there have been four sightings of a big black cat
near Blue Bell Hill and also one on the Lower Rainham Road.
Mr Arnold said: "There is evidence that these big cats exist
such as hair samples, paw prints which casts have been taken of and
even dead sheep in trees.
"Big cats were kept as pets in the 1960s but then in 1976 the
Dangerous Animals Act was introduced - people panicked and let them
loose.
"Travelling zoos were also very popular many years ago. They
used to have lynxes and pumas and if one escaped they weren't
likely to report it."
Wednesday, December 30 2009