Game of cat n mouse

By Sue Hingle

Every year in the UK there are hundreds of reported sightings of big cats on the loose in the British countryside. Scotland is one such area that has had more than its fair share of sightings over the last thirty years and now, with the aid of the internet, some big cat enthusiasts are closing in on their quarry.

Webcams are being set up in the areas were cats have been reported on a regular basis and it is now hoped that comprehensive proof of the existence of big cats in the wild is just a click of a mouse away.

The investigative group Big Cats in Britain (BCIB) believe there could be as many as 40 big cats in Scotland alone and they receive on average three sightings per week from members of the public. Many sightings go unreported as people are worried that they’ll get ridiculed or accused of trying to heighten Scottish tourism opportunities. Let’s face it, the old monster hasn’t done Loch Ness any harm.

These cats, purported to be wandering our country lanes, were probably released in the 1970s when there was a change to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, forcing owners to release their exotic pets, rather than pay expensive licence fees.

So if you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. You might bump into a ruddy great cat or you might also find yourself on candid camera. Either way, big smile please.

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