Big cat alert in Seaton
“Huge” black beast - three times the size of an average moggy - is spotted near the seafront
ANOTHER “big cat” sighting has been reported – this time near Seaton seafront.
Steve Carter says he ran for safety when the “huge” black beast leapt towards him, near his parents home, in Lyme Mews.
He first spotted the animal – around three times the size of a domestic cat - on a garage roof, near The Esplanade, at around 11.30pm on Wednesday.
“It leapt off a fence in my direction, front legs outstretched as a big cat would do,” he said.
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“I had no intention of hanging around to see what species it was.”
The latest sighting comes a week after the Herald reported how walker Allan Griffin spotted a puma-like animal in grassland at Burrow Farm gardens, near Axminster.
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Like him, Mr Carter is convinced the beast he saw was no tame moggy.
In fact, he thinks it could be the same wild cat – a puma or possibly a black leopard.
Thailand based Mr Carter, who was staying with parents Anne and David, said: “ I noticed a huge black cat on the neighbour’s garage roof not more than 40ft away.
“I thought nothing at that time only what a big domestic cat. It then stood up and the tiles creaked a little, which also seemed strange because the tiles are thick and cats are generally so nimble and light. It appeared to be stalking something in the garden.
“I noticed its tail was the same thickness from end to end. Its ears were pointed and when I hissed at it, it turned, looked at me with piercing green eyes reflected by the outside light. I hissed again, and the cat moved on to a garden fence. At this time I could see it was at least three times as big as a domestic cat and a little unsteady walking on the fence.
“I thought of quickly fetching a camera, at which point the cat leapt off the fence in my direction, front legs outstretched as a big cat would do. I quickly ran through the back door, and lost sight of the animal. Needless to say it took me a while to sleep that night.
“This was no ordinary cat. I have seen stories of wild cats, pumas etc, but had no intention of hanging around to find out its species.”
“However, as close as I was, this was for sure walker Allan Griffin’s pictured animal, near Axminster, in the Herald on the 17th August.”
