Report from George Markie

Black-collie sized cat disturbed by hunters at Skerry

From 'Eyewitness Accounts' in Cat Country, The Quest for the British Big Catby Di Francis, David and Charles, 1983

January 1977, Torrisdale nr Skerray, Sutherland

In January 1977 sheep losses became worse in the Skerray area, just two miles from Bettyhill. A local roads foreman, Mr Crow, complained about the number of sheep he was losing and Alistair Mclean agreed to help him hunt the animal responsible. Carrying a .22 rifle and a 12-bore shotgun, they went up into the hills at Torrisdale where the sheep had been disappearing. After a few hours they suddenly disturbed a large cat-like animal that lept out of a peat trench in front of them and bounded away over the rise of the hill. Although they gave chase, the animal moved at tremendous speed and was soon out of range. It was a cat, black-coloured, larger than a collie dog and with a long bushy tail.

January 1977

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