Report from Chris Smith
Bridge of Earn Big Cat
1 st July 2000
Message sent to Scottish Big Cats on 1 st September 2000:
Due to the recent sightings of a big black cat in the Fife area I thought I should let you know of a sighting I had a few years ago. I notice that you have no mention of this one in your files.
I was travelling from Perth to Edinburgh, by Citylink coach on a Friday night, around 6pm. in late September in 1996. As we were passing Bridge of Earn just outside Perth I saw what at first I thought to be a horse in a field. I turned to look at it and saw that it was not a horse, but was in fact a cat like creature that was stalking something. It suddenly darted forward then doubled back in pursuit of it's prey. For the few seconds that I saw it, I would say that it was about 5 foot long but could not judge the height as it was crouching. It was jet black in colour.
Some people I have told this to have suggested that what I saw was a dog, but as I have kept dogs as pets most of my life I know that a dog does not stalk like a cat and is not as agile in turning. At present I have a cat and she hunts just like the bigger version I saw that night.
A friend of mine who has a farm in the area has also reported sheep missing. After out hunting "the killer" one day they found a small den with lamb carcasses in it.
I have kept looking for this cat everytime I travel this road or when I am in the surrounding area. Unfortunatly I have had no other sightings but feel priveleged that I caught this glimpse of such a beautiful animal.
late September 1996
 |
 |
 |
|
| Return to index | Return to Scottish Big Cats | Return to Perthshire and Kinross | Return to 1996 |