Big cat sightings in Sussex

Buzzer · Aug 20, 2013

I was chatting about this yesterday with a few mates and it's is one conspiracy theory that I fully buy into. I'm convinced that there's at least one big cat (panther? puma?) or maybe a family of them on the South Downs that have been seen from Brighton in the east to around Swandean Hospital in the west.

Has anyone on here actually seen one or think they have? My brother who does a lot of cross-country running swears he saw a black panther near Chanctonbury Ring once. He ran the next mile backwards and as scared as he's ever been (he doesn't scare easily).

I'd love to see it, I really would but the nearest I've got to cryptozoology (study of hidden or mythical animals - it's a fantastic word and I never get a chance to use it) is seeing wild wallabies near Leonardslee Gardens in Beeding. Not quite the same.

And as an aside - hats off to Bevendean for getting their name linked to it. Any NSCers from that area are missing a trick with an excellent username - 'The Beast of Bevendean'.

moggy · Aug 20, 2013

About 10yrs ago, I used to keep and breed monkeys, mainly marmosets.
I bought a capuchin monkey and things got very political with druisillas, monkey world and local council and press getting involved. All due to needing a DWA (dangerous wild animal license)
I recieved a few letters in the post from people giving me their support.
One letter stood out, was from a lady in Rutland road in hove. She had a black panther, at home and kept caged up in the garden. She'd had it since the early 70s.
Now, it's possible since the DWA laws came in in 1975 I believe, that she may have been told to hand it over to captivity or similar. I just wonder whether she decided to let it loose rather than risk it being put to sleep, worst case scenario.
So yes, it's possible

Buzzer · Aug 20, 2013

That's what I'm talking about. I read somewhere that Northern Ireland didn't have the same laws about keeping wild animals until a few years ago so a few people did actually have big cats in their houses. Quite a few were sold on when the laws were made tighter but a fair few just disappeared - presumably to the countryside.

seagully · Aug 20, 2013

When I was in my teens and doing a paper round early one morning, I spotted a huge pawprint in some soil that had been churned up by a mole. It was far too large to be a domesticated animal's and needless to say I scarpered fairly quickly!!

Tricky Dicky · Aug 20, 2013

It could very well be possible that there are largish wild cats at large, there have been enough sightings over the years in certain areas, but I would think it's unlikely to be any exotic species - unless people are letting loose more than one, they're not going to survive for long, more likely to be a indeterminate feral type of some sort. I've personally never heard of a sighting in Sussex, it's always in the West Country.

Then again, as with UFOs, I would expect most "sightings" to have a rather more mundane explanation.

mikeyjh · Aug 20, 2013

It's difficult to imagine how something like that could remain hidden in the area, there's not exactly alot of wilderness around for it to disappear in to. In some areas of the country maybe, but can't imagine it down here.

Buzzer · Aug 20, 2013

This is a pretty good website about sightings in Sussex. It's not particularly sensationalist either

http://sussexbigcatwatch.org.uk/13.html

I take your point about there being mundane explanations too. I know I'm guilty of reading about this with a bias towards wanting it to be true.

Doc Lynam · Aug 20, 2013

Me and a mate saw something on the Downs East of Ditchling Beacon about 15 years ago. Summers night been out cycling all day, coming down the ridge about 1am suddenly both saw a large black object about 30 ft off to the side of us close to the floor with what looked like a long tail. Both took a massive detour down the hill ! I should add as it was summer it was a very clear night and a the moon lit every thing up.

The Kid Frankie · Aug 20, 2013

Never seen one myself, but my dad claimed to have seen one a few times on Telscombe Tye. Also said that he heard very strange noises coming from some bushes that he likened to a big cat. He said it seriously upset the dogs at the time. Perhaps there was a natural explanation for the noises but I believed him about the sightings. My old man was never one to bullshit, veteran of the Royal Signals he didn't really talk much at all so when he said about the cats I listened.

Also heard first hand accounts from farmers about an alleged Puma in Ringmer as well as verification about the cat(s) on the Tye.

To me it is a very strange phenomena, as you would expect with so many sightings that a corpse would have to show up at some stage.

Bladders · Aug 20, 2013

Tricky Dicky said:
It could very well be possible that there are largish wild cats at large, there have been enough sightings over the years in certain areas, but I would think it's unlikely to be any exotic species - unless people are letting loose more than one, they're not going to survive for long, more likely to be a indeterminate feral type of some sort. I've personally never heard of a sighting in Sussex, it's always in the West Country.

Then again, as with UFOs, I would expect most "sightings" to have a rather more mundane explanation.

mikeyjh said:
It's difficult to imagine how something like that could remain hidden in the area, there's not exactly alot of wilderness around for it to disappear in to. In some areas of the country maybe, but can't imagine it down here.

Probably this, something larger than a domestic cat that chases down rabbits etc, any thing exotic and the south downs would be littered with cow and sheep carcases.

Papa Lazarou · Aug 20, 2013

My cousin lives in St Leonards On Sea, a long way back from the coast, and there was a spate cat disappearances and killings by what was thought to be a large wild cat. I beleive paw prints and sightings were made locally at the time.

seagully · Aug 20, 2013

Papa Lazarou said:
My cousin lives in St Leonards On Sea, a long way back from the coast, and there was a spate cat disappearances and killings by what was thought to be a large wild cat. I beleive paw prints and sightings were made locally at the time.

Not far from where I saw a pawprint myself

Herr Tubthumper · Aug 20, 2013

I remember hearing a theory about the gentry and their manageries a century or so ago? There was a law change about keeping exotic animals and some simply let their pets into the wild as opposed to getting rid of them via the appropriate method..whatever this was. As a consequence some off-spring are still knocking about to this day. Dont know how true this is. Seems reasonable to me though.

Tricky Dicky · Aug 20, 2013

Buzzer said:
This is a pretty good website about sightings in Sussex. It's not particularly sensationalist either

http://sussexbigcatwatch.org.uk/13.html

I take your point about there being mundane explanations too. I know I'm guilty of reading about this with a bias towards wanting it to be true.

You can't discount peoples accounts at all, as I didn't see what they saw, but I am sceptical by default. Reading some of those, either they're described badly or just don't sound correct. I've not read them all, but "6 foot long" ? I don't think any Africa or Asian cat is that long (laying stretch out maybe, but not standing). "long pointed nose" ?? I can't think of any cats you would describe like that. "large head" ? Again, most cats actually have quite small heads (as another sighting said).

Bladders · Aug 20, 2013

Bladders said:
Probably this, something larger than a domestic cat that chases down rabbits etc, any thing exotic and the south downs would be littered with cow and sheep carcases.

...........saying that I do remember driving back from Hastings one evening busting for a pee and turned of at Pevensey Bay onto the Normans bay road to find somewhere quiet to relieve myself.

I pulled into a small layby and hopped across a bush out of sight. As I was having a pee I noticed about 10 feet away what looked like half a sheeps carcus with all its rib cage exposed, on closer inspection there were also fairly large paw prints in the area and around it.

It was dusk as well and visibility was getting less and less by the minute, it seemed to take forever to finishing peeing. Heart rate was going a bit and I hot tailed it out of their rapid without even doing by jeans up.

Spooky.

kevtherev · Aug 20, 2013

A fair few blokes have seen a big pussy, around and near Katie Price's house and surrounding stables and woodland.

Papa Lazarou · Aug 20, 2013

seagully said:
Not far from where I saw a pawprint myself

They live to the NW of the Filsham road, on the edge of the hillside that slopes down into the valley, with woodland not far to thier north.

Papa Lazarou · Aug 20, 2013

This is worth a read:

http://www.sussexbigcats.blogspot.co.uk/

hans kraay fan club · Aug 20, 2013

I believe.

Hillian1 · Aug 20, 2013

Frankly, I would be astonished if they didn't live wild in the UK.

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Big cat sightings in Sussex

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