Report from Leo Martin
Are Big Cats Stalking The Roads Around Town?
From the Kilmarnock Standard, September 13 th 1996
Giant cats have been spotted in Kilmarnock over the last few weeks. Mark Fraser has been co-ordinating sighting's of the mysterious creatures. He says, "I can't be sure what they are. They are too big to be domestic cats. They're about the size of Labrador dogs. I am getting reports of sightings at the Dean Country Park and the Bellfield roundabout. As far as I can tell there are two distinct colours of large cats in this area; one is black the other is a sort of fawn colour."
Sightings have been reported in broad daylight, dusk and in the full darkness of night.
In August two men in their mid-twenties were driving along the Irvine to Kilmarnock road. Near the Moorfield roundabout they both saw a cat-like animal, which was 'bigger then any dog.' It jumped on to the middle of the road, barely touching the ground and then on to the verge and away over the fields. It appeared to be a golden light brown in colour and although they only saw it in profile in the car headlights, they are convinced it was a cat.
In July a large cat was seen by a motorist near the Beecham plant close to Irvine. It ran onto the road, then into fields and out of sight. Several dead sheep and lambs have been reported in the area.
A mauled lamb was found recently in a field on the Ardrossan to Dalry Road, near a local dam. It had what appeared to be claw marks down one side.
Last summer a motorist saw a large puma like creature near Dundonald Camp and a young female assistant at a petrol station in Kilmarnock was advised by a lorry driver to lock herself in. He said he had seen a panther like animal on the busy A71. Unfortunately its not certain where he saw the animal.
September 13 th 1996
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