Report from Ralph Barnett
Broughty Man Spots "Wildcat" In Street
By Vicki Birmingham in the Dundee Courier 28 th February 2003
A MAN WAS left in disbelief when he spotted a big cat prowling a
residential street in Broughty Ferry.
Walter Crerar of Dunalistair Gardens spotted the large grey cat from
his front window at around 5 pm on Wednesday, and has since become
convinced that it was a wildcat.
There have been multiple sightings of big cats in Dundee and Angus,
most commonly in the land between Monifieth and Carnoustie, but few
have been seen in such an urban area.
There were 15 reports of big cats in Angus last year with numerous
sighting in Monifieth and there was even a big cat spotted on
Drumgeith Road in Dundee last summer.
Mr Crerar said he spent lots of time in the country through his hobby
of hillwalking. "All my life I have gone hillwalking and have always
known what a wildcat looks like but I have never seen anything like
this," he said.
"I just cannot believe that when I finally saw a wildcat it was just
outside my window.
"The cat was around four feet long, like a little panther, was light
grey and had a distinctive ringed tail which was grey and white.
"The big cat was facing up to a moggy that lives in the street and
was gradually creeping towards it before it got distracted and both
cats dashed away.
"I called some friends who live in the country and who I know have
seen wildcats themselves and they said my description matches what
they have seen perfectly."
Mr Crerar is sure other people in the area must have seen the cat,
but have possibly not realised it could be a wildcat.
Now he is disappointed that he could not record his sighting on
camera.
"I wish I had been able to get a photograph of the cat, but it was
about 40 yards away, the light was fading and there was no way I was
leaving my house to get any closer," he added.
Dundee Courier, 28 th February 2003
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