Plan B Forum

Big cat on the loose in Cornwall as paw print raises fears 1970s myth may actually be true


A big cat is on the loose in Cornwall, police have said, after they made a plaster cast of a paw print left in the garden where a family dog was mauled.

Police and the RSPCA say the paw print is far too large to be that of a domesticated cat, leading some to believe the myth of the big cats roaming Dartmoor to be true.

It is thought by some that three pumas were released onto the wilds of Dartmoor by Mary Chipperfield, the famous circus owner, after her zoo in Plymouth was forced to shut down in 1978.

There have been reports of big cats on the prowl around Dartmoor for years, and now dogs in the area are facing mysterious injuries.

Officials have confirmed the prints - measuring almost five inches - are that of a big cat and police say "something has been here which should not be".

James Stephenson, from the Cornwall village of Callington, close to Dartmoor, raised the alarm after his dog Marley was found with bleeding claw marks on its shoulder.

He said he has seen a large cat prowling near his garden, and thinks this is the beast that mauled his pet.

The 23-year-old added: "He was covered in blood. He had a big deep gash on his front left leg and one between his toes.

''On his left shoulder was a big black claw mark, as if a muddy claw had scraped down the side of him.

"He's still not interested in going out in the garden at night. He loves his garden and now can't bear it.

"The RSPCA said it had probably already caught something and was eating it in our garden and that's why it didn't take Marley; it was just protecting its food when it took him down."

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police came to inspect the scene and took a cast of the large paw print left in his garden.

A spokesperson said: "An officer attended the property and located the footprints in the garden. We called the RSPCA for advice and took a cast of the print which they confirmed was the pad of a large cat.

"Over the years, there have been a number of similar reports across Devon and Cornwall.

''There is no evidence that such animals represent a danger to humans. It is highly likely that they would avoid human contact and only represent a danger if trapped.

''If any animal is sighted it should not be approached."

An RSPCA spokesman said: "The RSPCA has been contacted about a suspected big cat sighting in Harrowbarrow, Cornwall, last week.

"Our officer attended after reports that a labrador had been scratched by a large, black cat.

''Thankfully, the dog is fine although he has scratch marks, and the owner is taking precautions to keep an eye on the dog in case of further sightings.

"We will continue to monitor the situation."

We even formed a posse just to hunt that critter down —
You could hear the guns a-blazin' as we ran him out of town

But the cat came back the very next day,
Yes, the cat came back and he wouldn't stay away.
Meow, kitty; Meow, so pretty;
Meow, such a pity, but the cat came back