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BIG CATS ON THE PROWL

CATS IN THE WILD | These massive moggies have been supposedly sighted around the West Midlands

In the last 12 months there has been over 100 sightings of big cats around the West Midlands, and we don’t mean the overweight moggy from next door! Inside Out goes on the trail to find out if pumas and panthers are prowling around a neighbourhood near you.

Cannock Chase in Staffordshire is a veritable big cat hotspot and there have been many supposed sightings over the last few months. Witnesses report seeing a large black cat with a long tail but this one certainly won’t answer to the name of Felix!

A cast of a big cat paw print helps to track down the illusive creatures

The nearby village of Stretton is also a regular haunt of the creature, and it has been seen in a barn, crossing the A5 and is the suspected killer of two geese.

Sceptical? Well your not alone and villagers are all too aware of reactions to their claims’, which is why they are reluctant to speak out.

Feline tails

But 20 miles down the road in a village near Tamworth, sightings are so frequent that everyone’s got a tale, or should we say tail, to tell?

We meet one man and his dog who need no convincing that a big cat is lurking nearby.

Sightings of big cats date back as far as the 60s with the famous Surrey Puma

Simon’s dog Jasper was in the garden one night. After hearing a yowl, Simon went outside to investigate. He found Jasper with an eight inch gash across his body and when Simon flashed the torch around the garden, he saw another pair of eyes looking back.

A morning inspection revealed large paw prints which Simon is convinced are that of a big cat. A further 16 sightings around the village strengthen his belief even further.

"When you collate it with other evidence from around the village, it really gives us 100% proof in our minds that this is what actually happened," claims Simon. Jasper, who is now back to full health, can only wag his tail in agreement.

The notion of panthers and pumas living wild in Britain is certainly not a new one. In 1963 the police and army were out in force to hunt the famous Surrey Puma, but no evidence was ever found.

Captured on camera

So many people claim to have seen these animals, and many have footage, albeit grainy footage as evidence. Is this enough to convince our expert?

"When you see a creature, often in bad light, often at a distance, perhaps in thick vegetation, it is genuinely difficult, even for a professional wildlife biologist, to be sure of what they’re seeing," says Memologist, Dr David McDonald.

It will take more than some blurred footage to convince David. However, Louis Foley from Dudley is certain they are out there and even claims to know how they got there.

The purrfect accessory

Big cats were the height of fashion in the 60s and 70s

Forget handbags and shoes, in the 60s and 70s big cats were the must-have fashion accessory and could be purchased in Harrods. With the tightening of the law in 1976, many of these animals were cast out into the wild.

A lion and tiger owner in the 70s, Louis Foley claims to have known at least four people who released their big cats into the wild and it’s bad news for those of you in Nottingham, where two of them were set free!

"Some cats can live up to 30 to 40 years if they look after themselves," says Louis. "I think there is still a couple of original ones out there."

Louis Foley believes that pumas and panthers were released into the wild

But how feasible is it that once released, they could survive independently? According to one expert, it is a real possibility. A fully grown puma would only need about two rabbits a day to survive.

Unconvinced

This is still not enough to convince our expert, who points out that if these animals were successfully surviving and reproducing in the wild, it would be virtually impossible not to encounter them. In the last 20 years, surely one would have been knocked down by a car, or caught in a trap?

"For 20 years, for a (big cat) population to be existing in our densely populated country without an individual being held in hand, is pretty unlikely," says Dr David McDonald.

Whilst David remains unconvinced, there are many in the West Midlands who will not be told otherwise. Inside Out will remain on fence for this one - at least we’ll be safe from the cats up there!