Moray is the home of the Kellas Cat which is thought to be a cross between wildcats and feral cats. See The Scottish Wildcat for more details.
The area is also a hotspot for ABC sightings. One contact asked a very experienced member of a mountain rescue team if he ever saw wildcats on their regular outings in the hills. The reply was that they seldom saw wildcats, perhaps a few times in a career, but what they do see, almost every time they go out, is big cat tracks in the earth or snow. The gamekeepers who often accompany the teams have told them they often see large cats in the course of their work.

Chris Smith

The very presence of Non-native cats species is not a modern phenomenon. The flurry of sightings in the 1980's sparked several local politicians to question whether the government should be enquiring into such phenomena, but unfortunately, as is the case now, the government showed little interest.

Aron Bowers.

Dead Lynx

Lynx killed by traffic near Forres Last week in May, 2003

The Kellas Cats

Beast Identified As Wildcat 15 th December 1984

Mystery Of The Big Black Cats 17 th June 1985

Black Panther Shot at Alves 16 th March, 1995

Kellas cat sighting at Elgin? 2000

Kellas cat sighting at Pluscarden February 2003

The Forres Big Cat

Big cat sightings by RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team dates unknown

Large black cat seen eating a roe deer February 1984

Encounter with a large black felid 14 th March 1984

Jogger sights a large black felid 21 st March 1984

Large black cat seen south of Burghhead around 1985

Large black cat spotted by three youths 10 th April 1985

Spaniel-sized cat seen between Dallas and Advie 4 th June 1986

Large black labrador sized cat seen in Forres garden 19 th November 1986

Labrador-sized black cat seen near Forres 19 th December 1986

Jet black cat labrador-sized cat seen near Forres 4 th February 1987

Large velvet-black cat seen twice near Forres 11 th February 1987

Large sandy-gold coloured seen near Forres 12 th December 1987

Big cat sightings at RAF Lossiemouth late 1980s

Two large black cats seen near Cummingston 1902 or 1993

Photographers Caught Napping By A Beast Not Too Keen On Exposure 18 th February 1995

Huge black cat seen on Dallas - Pluscarden road 2001

Big cat sighting at Kinloss 1 st April 2001

Author sights big cat near abbey 17 th November 2001

Big cats are alive and well 24 th November 2001

Puma-type animal was seen 24 th November 2001

Large dark brown mottled cat seen at Lossiemouth 2 nd April 2003

Vet Claims he has Proof of Big Cats 13 th April 2003

Vet Convinced That His Discovery Offers Conclusive Proof Of Big Cat Existence 15 th April 2003

Pluscarden prints - a statement by Aron Bowers 23 rd September 2003

The Big Cat of Keith

Big cat sightings around Mulben 1990s

The terrible secret is out ... the Beast of Keith is on the prowl 23 rd January 2000

Cheetah-like animal seen near Keith 29 th January 2000

Is the Moray puma an African Golden cat? 20 th September 2002

Dufftown Big Cat

Dufftown Big Cat 17 th July 2000

Large light brown cat seen at Giants Chair Walk 10 th July 2002

Elgin Big Cats

Spaniel-sized black cat seen near Duffus 10 th December 1986

Paws for thought in Moray garden 10 th February 1995

Large black cat seen by lampers 1997-1998

Large black cat seen at Spynie 1998

Large black cat seen at in woods near Elgin January 1998

Footprints of large cat found in snow at Blackhills Around 1999

Large black cat seen by Spynie Kirk End March-begining April 1999

Encounter at Elgin 2000

Large fawn cat seen sitting in field at Birnie 2001

Large black cat seen watching traffic on A96 Autumn of 2001

Large puma-like cat seen south of Elgin Mid March 2003

Large puma-like cat seen on Elgin-Rothes road 11 th April 2003

Labrador sized black cat seen by field 2 nd week of August 2003

The Big Cats of Kingston and Garmouth

Wake up! early 1980s

Biege-coloured Cheetah-sied cat seen 12 th July 1983

Large cat seen between Elgin and Garmouth Around 1999

Big cat shock for Moray woman 4 th September 1999

Large beige cat seen near Garmouth January 2000

Big-cat hunter on the wrong track 12 th January 2001

Jury still out on big cat 19 th January 2001

Big Cat remains elusive but fan speaks out 26 th January 2001

Beast of Kingston spotted again 3 rd February 2001

Dark, labrador-sized cat seen by Baxter's Visitor Centre Week before Christmas, 2001

Sighing of a large brown cat at Garmouth 13 th January 2003

Another sighting of a large black cat at Garmouth May 2003

Puma-like cat seen near Garmouth 29 th August 2003