Large black cat spotted by cyclists
Wednesday 18 th April 2001
Kintyre on the B842, half a mile south west of Bridge over Claonaig water, shortly after the road enters scrubby deciduous woodland.
Witness: Dr. D. M.. apprx time of sighting 10.15 am.
Witness was cycling with his 13 year old daughter when he saw a large cat run swiftly across the road in front of them. The animal was all black with no markings, 30 -40 yards away - the size of a German Shepherd fully grown. Moved in a cat-like manner.
Dr. McLeod said: I never saw the animal long enough to draw it, it really was only a fleeting glance. I tried to dismiss it from my mind. My only knowledge of big cats at large was vague memories of newspaper articles from years ago. Then I met M. R. this September at a Royal Naval Reserve camp in York. I discovered that she is a school nurse for the Kintyre Peninsula and lives in Carradale. I mentioned the incident and immediately she lit up and mentioned she has seen a tawny one and had paw prints in her garden. Apparently big cats are fairly well known in the area."
"I once saw a Scottish wildcat run across a forestry track in the hills of S.E. of Ballachulish, July 1979. Apart from this in over thirty years of hill walking, I have never seen anything like I did last April."
18 th April 2001
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