Alien Big Cats ('ABCs')

[Sid]

I would not guess stuffed toy. Those are really terrible and don't look this detailed.
But the lack of provenance is damning. I'm not buying it.

"Nor I!"

 

[Eponastill]

One of the commenters underneath says, and I agree, that the vegetation doesn't remind me of anything particularly native British. It could be anywhere in the world... or in a zoo.

Besides, why be so coy about a 'centre for zoology' ... as another commenter says, maybe the 'centre for fortean zoology'. And they're bound to have photos of alleged ABCs. Doesn't add anything to the credibility, but they're trying to make it seem so.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

One of the commenters underneath says, and I agree, that the vegetation doesn't remind me of anything particularly native British. It could be anywhere in the world... or in a zoo.

Besides, why be so coy about a 'centre for zoology' ... as another commenter says, maybe the 'centre for fortean zoology'. And they're bound to have photos of alleged ABCs. Doesn't add anything to the credibility, but they're trying to make it seem so.

Not the CFZ, Jon and team would be as skeptical as us

 

[cycleboy2]

It's frustrating - you see the headline and a pic that's clearly of a big cat such as a panther, and not the usual slightly big domestic cat or farm moggy.

And then... and then you read the story and all that optimism vanishes in a flash.

No provenance, no provenance, no provenance. The pic could be anywhere at any time, making it a non-story. There could be a story out there, and this could even be it, but not as it stands with that oh-so-flimsy backstory.

And that's soooo frustrating!

 

[Paul_Exeter]

It's frustrating - you see the headline and a pic that's clearly of a big cat such as a panther, and not the usual slightly big domestic cat or farm moggy.

And then... and then you read the story and all that optimism vanishes in a flash.

No provenance, no provenance, no provenance. The pic could be anywhere at any time, making it a non-story. There could be a story out there, and this could even be it, but not as it stands with that oh-so-flimsy backstory.

And that's soooo frustrating!

Sums up ABCs, there are some most reputable witnesses that include a zoo keepers who kept pumas, police officers, gamekeepers who know their badgers from their foxes, deer census takers, estate managers, a school minibus driver etc. Yet still no definitive proof, just some probable escapees and that is why I agree with author and researcher Di Francis when she states that - some post-1977 releases aside - they are as paranormal as the Black Shuck and other big black dogs with glowing eyes. Furthermore, there have been sightings of the black puma-type sin association with UFOs and Bigfoot (in the US). Te problem we have is that the press like ABCs as much as they like UFOs for clickbait and have been having a field day with all these dodgy photos and outright fakes.

 

[lordmongrove]

One of the commenters underneath says, and I agree, that the vegetation doesn't remind me of anything particularly native British. It could be anywhere in the world... or in a zoo.

Besides, why be so coy about a 'centre for zoology' ... as another commenter says, maybe the 'centre for fortean zoology'. And they're bound to have photos of alleged ABCs. Doesn't add anything to the credibility, but they're trying to make it seem so.

The photo was in our archive. It was sent to us in 2012. Karl Shuker found the origional picture that was superimposed on the background, proving it was a composit fake. We did not release this to the press.

 

[brownmane]

Clearest Ever Photo of Big Cat in British Countryside

‘Documentary makers have discovered what they claim is the ‘clearest ever’ photo of a big cat prowling the British countryside.

The picture of the large panther-like creature was discovered in the files of a zoology organization.


It shows a large muscular black cat lying in long grass in Smallthorne, Staffordshire.

The photo was accompanied by a handwritten note dated March 17 - but it is unclear is which year it was taken.


Experts say if genuine it is ‘’probably the best photo of a British big cat that exists’’.

Is there a direct link? The ones in your post just link to The Independent and seem to be circular. I cannot view anything other than a thumbnail (is that the correct term?) and if I click on it, it goes back to the main page.

 

[Sharon Hill]

Clearest Ever Photo of Big Cat in British Countryside

‘Documentary makers have discovered what they claim is the ‘clearest ever’ photo of a big cat prowling the British countryside.

The picture of the large panther-like creature was discovered in the files of a zoology organization.


It shows a large muscular black cat lying in long grass in Smallthorne, Staffordshire.

The photo was accompanied by a handwritten note dated March 17 - but it is unclear is which year it was taken.


Experts say if genuine it is ‘’probably the best photo of a British big cat that exists’’.

Is this article gone now? It's not connecting and the search shows it but doesn't bring up the original article.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Is this article gone now? It's not connecting and the search shows it but doesn't bring up the original article.

maybe ownership and all that...?

 

[Robbrent]

Sums up ABCs, there are some most reputable witnesses that include a zoo keepers who kept pumas, police officers, gamekeepers who know their badgers from their foxes, deer census takers, estate managers, a school minibus driver etc. Yet still no definitive proof, just some probable escapees and that is why I agree with author and researcher Di Francis when she states that - some post-1977 releases aside - they are as paranormal as the Black Shuck and other big black dogs with glowing eyes. Furthermore, there have been sightings of the black puma-type sin association with UFOs and Bigfoot (in the US). Te problem we have is that the press like ABCs as much as they like UFOs for clickbait and have been having a field day with all these dodgy photos and outright fakes.

They act in the same way as UFO,s and Fairies elusive and enigmatic, even leaving bits of evidence that at first sight looks good, but turns out very mundane.

And it’s got a cohort of true believers who are convinced they are flesh and blood, who turn quite nasty when they are questioned

What’s wonderful to me, is it’s kind of in the shadowland of reality, sure black panthers exist but are quite rare even in their native habitat, and the chance we have a viable breeding population in the UK is virtually impossible

 

[Paul_Exeter]

It's made the Daily Mail:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12408137/Big-cat-sightings-UK-Map-spotted-British.html

Includes a number of witness videos, including sheep sitting calmly as a 'black puma' eats one of their own...

This seems to be Danny Bamping's website, still live but not updated in ages. Yet he keeps popping up in the media:

https://www.britishbigcats.org/signup.php

 

[hunck]

Another ‘big black cat' - on Dartmoor

And another blurry photo.

The family were walking to Fernworthy Reservoir on August 27 when they encountered the suspected big cat. Jon initially spotted what he believed to be a stray dog. However, after watching the mystery animal move, he realised it more closely resembled a large cat.

“It just felt a bit surreal and quite strange that my first thought was 'big cat'. I managed to get my phone out and got a picture just in my hand before it walked along a bit and ran into the woods. "It had a huge tail, which must have been a metre long with some white on the end.”

“We were walking up one of the tracks with wife, son and Labrador when quite far ahead I saw something which I assumed was a dog, but it looked massive. It started walking around slowly then saw me, stood there and looked at me and then started casually walking away.

“I'm quite a calm character so I thought I was seeing things and remained calm as I had my dog and child with me and didn't want to panic them. I thought I was seeing a massive dog but my brain knew it wasn't as it was so bulky at the back end, the rear legs and back end were as bulky as the front end and it looked very powerful and big.

They found a half-eaten deer carcass nearby.

 

[catseye]

And it’s got a cohort of true believers who are convinced they are flesh aThend blood, who turn quite nasty when they are questioned

The reverse is also true. One of my recent novels was on this subject - sort of, it featured a reality TV show where the participants have to go and try to find an ABC in the wild. Some of the reviews were quite...vitriolic, shall we say; not on the writing of the book, or even the ridiculousness of having a reality TV show involving this kind of thing. No, what they got cross about was the 'wild goose chase' 'unrealistic' 'silly' search for the ABC. People really did not like the fact that the book featured a creature that they believe not to exist. The fact that the book has the cat appear right at the end just seemed to make them more angry.

 

[Mythopoeika]

The reverse is also true. One of my recent novels was on this subject - sort of, it featured a reality TV show where the participants have to go and try to find an ABC in the wild. Some of the reviews were quite...vitriolic, shall we say; not on the writing of the book, or even the ridiculousness of having a reality TV show involving this kind of thing. No, what they got cross about was the 'wild goose chase' 'unrealistic' 'silly' search for the ABC. People really did not like the fact that the book featured a creature that they believe not to exist. The fact that the book has the cat appear right at the end just seemed to make them more angry.

Excellent! You provoked a response.

 

[gordonrutter]

The reverse is also true. One of my recent novels was on this subject - sort of, it featured a reality TV show where the participants have to go and try to find an ABC in the wild. Some of the reviews were quite...vitriolic, shall we say; not on the writing of the book, or even the ridiculousness of having a reality TV show involving this kind of thing. No, what they got cross about was the 'wild goose chase' 'unrealistic' 'silly' search for the ABC. People really did not like the fact that the book featured a creature that they believe not to exist. The fact that the book has the cat appear right at the end just seemed to make them more angry.

Spoilers!

 

[brownmane]

Another ‘big black cat' - on Dartmoor

And another blurry photo.

The family were walking to Fernworthy Reservoir on August 27 when they encountered the suspected big cat. Jon initially spotted what he believed to be a stray dog. However, after watching the mystery animal move, he realised it more closely resembled a large cat.

View attachment 69262

Well, that's clear as mud. I think that is the worst photo that I've seen posted here

 

[hunck]

Well, that's clear as mud. I think that is the worst photo that I've seen posted here

Whaddaya mean woman? - it’s a puma, plain as day.

 

[Venkmans on the case]

TV alert: A new feature length documentary Big Cat Britain Declassified is being screened tonight on the Blaze Channel (channel 64 on Freeview) at 8.00pm (it finishes at 9.50pm). Might be worth a watch as it is one of the recommendations of the day in my TV guide magazine.
It is followed by a new documentary on the Big Cats of Australia.

 

[catseye]

It looks more like a Malinois to me.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Another ‘big black cat' - on Dartmoor

And another blurry photo.

The family were walking to Fernworthy Reservoir on August 27 when they encountered the suspected big cat. Jon initially spotted what he believed to be a stray dog. However, after watching the mystery animal move, he realised it more closely resembled a large cat.

View attachment 69262

Know Fernworthy well. It is a busy place during the school holidays and I somehow doubt a primarily nocturnal big cat would be wandering around during daytime, waiting to be disturbed by a dog walker. There are plenty of areas not far from there that hardly see a human and with lots of nice trees to hang out in. Sadly deer get attacked by dogs or die of disease and old age and get scavenged by foxes and the like. Or maybe even they found what was left after the patchers had taken the valuable meat and the liver.

They may have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse - and blurry photo - of a rare black fox:

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2020-12-29/rare-black-fox-spotted-in-somerset-country-lane

Note the white tip on the tail as described by the witness

 

[Robbrent]

The reverse is also true. One of my recent novels was on this subject - sort of, it featured a reality TV show where the participants have to go and try to find an ABC in the wild. Some of the reviews were quite...vitriolic, shall we say; not on the writing of the book, or even the ridiculousness of having a reality TV show involving this kind of thing. No, what they got cross about was the 'wild goose chase' 'unrealistic' 'silly' search for the ABC. People really did not like the fact that the book featured a creature that they believe not to exist. The fact that the book has the cat appear right at the end just seemed to make them more angry.

I am not saying they don't exist they just don't exist in the physical form, they display all the characteristics of UFO's, Fairy's and other monster sightings, I would love to know the meaning behind it all but I haven't got a clue, the flesh and blood advocates would have us believe that we have a thriving population of Black Panthers that are rare in their natural environment, which is pretty ridiculous

To me that's the clue that not is all it seems on first glimpse

 

[catseye]

I am not saying they don't exist they just don't exist in the physical form, they display all the characteristics of UFO's, Fairy's and other monster sightings, I would love to know the meaning behind it all but I haven't got a clue, the flesh and blood advocates would have us believe that we have a thriving population of Black Panthers that are rare in their natural environment, which is pretty ridiculous

To me that's the clue that not is all it seems on first glimpse

Yes, I'm not entirely sure why you quoted me - I was illustrating that, just as people get angry about being challenged about the objective reality of ABCs, people also get angry about that reality being assumed.

 

[RaM]

Maybe some of these cats are owned by the shadier side of society as a badge of honor kind of thing,
perhaps some of them are let out to find their own food or to be released when their owners
are themselves being bars.

 

[Mungoman]

I am not saying they don't exist they just don't exist in the physical form, they display all the characteristics of UFO's, Fairy's and other monster sightings, I would love to know the meaning behind it all but I haven't got a clue, the flesh and blood advocates would have us believe that we have a thriving population of Black Panthers that are rare in their natural environment, which is pretty ridiculous

To me that's the clue that not is all it seems on first glimpse

"Not is all it seems on first glimpse".

That is it in a nutshell Robbrent. I have seen a Large Alien Leonid myself and it was as plain as day - I was sitting on top of a rise at my parents property and I saw this animal the colour of a golden labrador, sashay up a shallow gully right next to where I was. Long straight tail held out, short rounded ears, big paws and a stubby defined muzzle with a very muscular leonine walk to it.

I had a .22 with a scope, so I could see quite plainly what it was and it took maybe 40 seconds to walk up that gully, then pass me, into a scrubby section of bush. Plain as day.

I've spoken before about The First Nation's reality, and how their 'Dreaming' walks alongside this reality, as well as the propensity for some Kunyapipi Denizens to merge into this one, and so your suggestion that maybe the ABC just don't exist in a physical form ties in with this 'alternative' reality.

Maybe 'The Dreaming' is worldwide, rather than just Australian?

Who knows...

 

[Robbrent]

"Not is all it seems on first glimpse".

That is it in a nutshell Robbrent. I have seen a Large Alien Leonid myself and it was as plain as day - I was sitting on top of a rise at my parents property and I saw this animal the colour of a golden labrador, sashay up a shallow gully right next to where I was. Long straight tail held out, short rounded ears, big paws and a stubby defined muzzle with a very muscular leonine walk to it.

I had a .22 with a scope, so I could see quite plainly what it was and it took maybe 40 seconds to walk up that gully, then pass me, into a scrubby section of bush. Plain as day.

I've spoken before about The First Nation's reality, and how their 'Dreaming' walks alongside this reality, as well as the propensity for some Kunyapipi Denizens to merge into this one, and so your suggestion that maybe the ABC just don't exist in a physical form ties in with this 'alternative' reality.

Maybe 'The Dreaming' is worldwide, rather than just Australian?

Who knows...

It's definitely a worldwide phenomena, it adjusts itself to whatever it want's but more than likely the more ridiculous the better, such as sleek black panthers roaming around the bucolic pastures of the UK, when you stop to think about it you begin to realize all definitely is not what it seems

 

[catseye]

It's definitely a worldwide phenomena, it adjusts itself to whatever it want's but more than likely the more ridiculous the better, such as sleek black panthers roaming around the bucolic pastures of the UK, when you stop to think about it you begin to realize all definitely is not what it seems

But why an ABC? If absurdity is the object, then why not appear as a mobile bookcase or a giant pink cow? If blending in, then practically any element of wildlife would do. It's a weird kind of 'real thing, but in an unlikely setting' that reminds me vaguely of Ford Prefect and his attempt to 'blend in'.

 

[Mungoman]

But why an ABC? If absurdity is the object, then why not appear as a mobile bookcase or a giant pink cow? If blending in, then practically any element of wildlife would do. It's a weird kind of 'real thing, but in an unlikely setting' that reminds me vaguely of Ford Prefect and his attempt to 'blend in'.

I don't see absurdity as the point. This life is absurd enough. In Australia we have the Corroborree frogs ( Pseudophryne corroboree, and the northern corroboree frog Pseudophryne pengilleyi) that lays it's eggs in a nest made of grass, next to water, and the tadpole of the Corroboree frog doesn't enter water until it metamorphoses. So therefore, I think that existence is to a greater or lesser degree, determined by that which exists.

Meanwhile, those who don't question any other possibility, or know no better, just reinforce that worldview, and therefore reinforce that existence where they are.

Until recently we all might have considered the existence of The Fair Folk, but in the last 3 or 4 generations that acceptance has lost it's savour.

People see odd things, and they see these oddities plainly, without the idea that it 'might be' such and such - no, they definitely see a large sea serpent, or a flying human, or a village appear in plain sight where there isn't the possibility of there being one. And whose to say that these 'apparitions' from another existence haven't just passed through the borders that isolate our worlds?

We have bizzarre beings in the dreaming, but they are only odd in appearance. These Quinkin have partners, they have families - they have specific characters - they have names the same as you and I...they might also travel through rock, and they might need to hide from the winds because they get blown away, but, they are expected and accepted in that Existence, The Dreaming.

Maybe the point is to dream big enough in our respective philosophies so that we are able to see these things - who knows...

 

[Robbrent]

But why an ABC? If absurdity is the object, then why not appear as a mobile bookcase or a giant pink cow? If blending in, then practically any element of wildlife would do. It's a weird kind of 'real thing, but in an unlikely setting' that reminds me vaguely of Ford Prefect and his attempt to 'blend in'.

It's that wonderful ambiguity that the phenomena is noted for, if someone spotted a giant pink cow (other colours are available) most likely people would laugh at them and not take them seriously (some equally bizarre sightings have have been claimed over the years, such as the Liberace UFO )

But mention an Apex predator wandering around the British countryside and see the wild goose chase that ensues, I am old enough to remember the army and big game hunters been called into the chase, the ABC in the British countryside is bizarre but it could be real but on close examination it's absolutely ridiculous , it's that lovely ambiguity

 

[RaM]

Iv never seen one but been called out to 3 incidents two of which I saw tracks
and that was no pensioners pussy that made them,
I was speaking to a game keeper I know well enough to know he knows what
he has seen and he told me he had been within 4 ft of one, I am as convinced
as you can be without seeing one yourself that they exist and are real.

 

[Robbrent]

Iv never seen one but been called out to 3 incidents two of which I saw tracks
and that was no pensioners pussy that made them,
I was speaking to a game keeper I know well enough to know he knows what
he has seen and he told me he had been within 4 ft of one, I am as convinced
as you can be without seeing one yourself that they exist and are real.

They are as real as any Fortean phenomena, but do you not think that leaving tracks is all part of the game they play, just like UFO's leaving evidence that leads to nowhere ? The game is as old as the hills didn't the Fairies used to give gold to people but when they returned it turned out to be a pile of dirt?

I am not disputing the odd Scottish wildcat that may be breeding in the wilds of the UK, that's entirely possible as they are solitary creatures and very elusive (mainly because they are not that big) But Panthers? I think there is added symbolism going on with so called "Black Panthers" lord knows what it is but I believe it's there

Incidentally has anyone spotted an out of place Tiger in the UK ?