Non-native Cat Sightings in Scotland in 1998

Non-native Cat Sightings in 1998
Date	Location	Description	Activity	Report
around 1998	Ardersier, Highland	"big cat", dark in colour	Darted across road into bracken
Exact date unknown	Spynie, nr Elgin, Moray	"Panther-like", pure-black, small head, sleek profile, long black tail	Seen by driver. Cat crossed road in two leaps then disappeared into wood
Exact date unknown	Skene, Aberdeenshire	Large black cat	Seen by female witness slinking across a field
exact date unknown	Torrisdale estate near Carradale, Kintyre, Argyll and Bute	Large black cat
date unknown	nr Kilberry, Argyll	Bigger than a Labrador, pure black and shiny. Tail thick at the bottom and tapering away when it reached the body of the animal, "like a skittle".	Crossed a 20 ft road in two bounds.
date unknown	A833 Kiltarlity to Drumnadrochit road, nr Inverness, Highland	Local resident hit a large beast on the road.	Vet from with Scottish Agricultural College sent hairs from the bumper for analysis in Edinburgh. They belonged to no known British mammalian species.
date unknown	nr Candacraig, Aberdeenshire	Beast	Said to have attacked lorry driver
January	Mossietowie, nr Elgin, Moray	Large, labrador sized black cat, with long tail. Only mid and hind quarters seen. Certainly not a dog.	Spotted by horse rider. Hose spooked and refused to move. Animal's movements were feline and unhurried..
January	Dalavich, Argyll and Bute	Black leopard, approx size of labrador but longer, tail very long. Thought to be female.	Seen at 70 - 100 secs by two witnesses who have worked with bigcats for 35 secs. Leopard latrine found "-4 miles away. Curled up on large rock. Sloped off at appraoch of witnesses.
25 th January	Bottomcraigs, Fife	Large black cat, size of a Labrador	Seen in headlights at 10 ft. Leapt over a fence and away
February	Nr Candacraig House, Strathdon, Aberdeenshire	The size of Alsations and larger	Two sightings within days of each other in the woods near the village
Early February	nr Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire	Dark coloured, cat-like animal, amber/orange coloured eyes, very long tail	Seen by two witneses for a minute
before 5 th February	A92 nr Montrose, Angus	Black, about the same size as a Labrador, only thinner. Like a cat but too big to be a domestic	Reported after sighting of 5 th Feb
5 th February	Kinnaber water works nr Montrose, Angus	Black, had a long curving tail with a blunt end and was sitting like a cat. Head three-and-a-half to four feet above the ground. Bigger than a Labrador. Not a domestic cat.	In no hurry and ambled across the hillside. Seemed to be looking at witness. Police found freshly killed rabbit and tuft of black fur caught on a fence.
20 th February	Kiltarlity, nr Inverness, Highland		Spate of sheep killings
20 th February	Findrassie Woods, Elgin, Moray	Large cat		Mick Orsi
23 rd February	Polton nr Bonnyrigg, Midlothian	Large black cat	Seen by Gordon Scott at 50 yds. The next day he saw it at closer range at the same place	Mick Orsi
24 th February	Polton nr Bonnyrigg, Midlothian	Large black cat	Seen by Gordon Scott at close range. Seen previous day by same witness.	Mick Orsi
March	Alford, Aberdeenshire	Large black cat		Mick Orsi
21 st April	Barry, Angus	Large black cat	Scanty remains of a healthy lamb found on nearby farm the morning after sighting. Many earlier sightings at Panmure golf course
29 th April	Upper Largo, East Neuk, Fife	Brown, smooth-haired, round head, ears flat on head. Three feet long and 18 to 24 inches in height, long tail	Seen in headlights on the A915
May	Keith-Banff road, Moray	Large cat		Mick Orsi
June	Loanhead, Midlothian	Greyish cat with pointed ears	Four sightings in two months	Mick Orsi
early summer	Affric, nr Cannich, Highland	Colour like a lion, very light brown. Initially thought to be boxer dog. About same size. Approx. 60 cm high. Tail not seen	Looked at witness then ran away
July	Carrbridge, Highland	A 'black panther' - Large black shape (Labrador size) tail as long as body. (3 witnesses) An 'otter' (one witness)	Ran across road in front of two cars. Spotted by four adults
8 th July	Farm nr Newburgh, Fife	Large feline animal, cat-like and had a very long tail.	Hit by tractor, possibly injured. Dogs on farm restless in early mornings
17 th July	Devilla Forest, by Scottish Police College, Kincardine, Fife	Yellow eyes with pointed ears and a feline gait.	Spotted by a motorist
Late August	Burnswark, nr Locherbie, Dumfries and Galloway	Large black animal	In a field. Movements were totally different to that of cattle or a dog. Smoother kind of movement, and must have been quite large. Recent sheep kills in area.
6 th September	Dundee- Kirkcaldy road nr Parbroath, North Fife	Large dark cat-like animal	Seen by occupants of car beside road
6 th September	Letham, North Fife	Large black cat, size of sheep of small leopard. Four feet in lenght, puma-like with long black curly tail. Similar creature seen by dog walker and at Luthrie next day	Seen by many people at village hall. School children hid behind wall.
6 th September	Letham, North Fife	Large black cat. Similar creature seen at Luthrie next day	Seen by dog walker, prowling across playing fields.
7 th September	Luthrie, North Fife	Long, black and sleek like a big cat - certainly with a feline posture - and looked to be something like a panther or a puma	Seen at 20 yds
11 th September	Easter Clatto farm, nr St Andrews, Fife	A cat but nearly three feet high, looked extremely powerful, a male, huge and bulging with muscle.	Witness chased ABC in his car for 300 yds at nearly 40 mph. Seen at 10 ft. Casts made of pawprints, said initially to be a puma, but later thought to belong to large dog.
2 nd October	Nr Anstruther, Fife	Large, black cat, very large head, amber eyes, long tail, teeth about and inch and a half long.	Seen at close quarters in witness's courtyard
2 nd October	Ford, Argyll and Bute	Large cat		Mick Orsi
Early October	Charleton golf course nr Colinsburgh, Fife	3 in by 3 in pawprints found repeatedly over two weeks	Headless pheasants found in bunker
before 15 th October	Buddon Golf Links, Angus	Large black cat-like creature, bigger than Labrador, long tail, short nose	Seen at 200 yds. Ran across the fairway and disappeared into woodland. Swan found decapitated (see 21 st April)
c. 24 th October	Eastriggs munitions depot, Dumfriesshire		Nearby sighting nr Langholm the previous July
November	north of Balquhidder, Stirlingshire	Large dark coloured cat, very supple and cat like	Seen at 150 yards by climber with binnoculars. Pad marks found
29 th November	North Kessock, near Inverness, Highland	Sandy colour and far longer than a dog	Ran along at high speed before jumping into bushes
Winter	Stevenson Industrial Eastate, Ardeer, North Ayrshire	Lynx with ear tufts	Witness has hand-raised a puma
End of 1998	Galloway	Very large cat of Panther size	A very large animal bounded out the forest and knocked a fox over, before bounding away. The fox suffered a serious wound to its side, with a piece of the shoulder ripped out.

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