Thread: Big Cats, myth or real ?

According to Benjamin "Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey."
Could the big cats be learning from Orwell?

Originally Posted by V8Ian

According to Benjamin "Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey."
Could the big cats be learning from Orwell?

We used to keep donkeys when I was a kid - I've seen more than one dead one... For some reason Dad kept bringing home ancient ones that no one else wanted. They dropped dead from time to time - usually on frosty Winters mornings.

Buggers to get rid of too.

Originally Posted by bacicat

We used to keep donkeys when I was a kid - I've seen more than one dead one... For some reason Dad kept bringing home ancient ones that no one else wanted. They dropped dead from time to time - usually on frosty Winters mornings.

Buggers to get rid of too.

I knew a bloke who kept a few horses. One cold morning, a foal died and, having no way of getting rid of it easily, brought it to work and stashed it in an old chest freezer out back. Good freezer that, froze the carcass solid. Trouble was, it was real old school and the top had overhanging edges ie, the hole at the top was smaller than the interior and, you guessed it, he couldn't get it out. Had to thaw the lot out to get it free. I'm not saying he's a dill but...

As for cats, yeah, you need to have your weapon ready and pointing at them to get a realistic shot off. Mind you, spraying the bush with lead works too (just isn't effective).

Originally Posted by goingbush

I reckon Ive seen a few, Dead certain I saw a big black cat on the Acheron Way a few years ago.

Found this a few days ago near Eramanga QLD


Beard looks like a Mountain Lion ??

I'm no catologist but looked twice the size of a domestic cat, any ideas ??.

The dental make up of the remains certainly looks similar to this..https://boneclones.com/product/cougar-skull-male-BC-015

At the risk of sounding like those wonderful Americans on "Monster Quest" who claim they've seen all kinds of critters, I must admit that I have seen a large black animal resembling a cat on two separate occasions at Newnes Junction near Lithgow. The last time was about three weeks ago. The damn thing ran across the railway tracks in front of my train, once close enough for me to think I was going to hit it.


I know domestic cats well enough, I have one. I do know that they can get quite large. But this thing was easily the size of a medium sized Labrador, which unfortunately I had one hit with the train many years ago near Bankstown, and it still saddens me. But this jet-black cat was sleeker and thinner than a Labrador.


Yes, I know size could be an optical illusion. And yes I know most likely it was a large feral cat. But still, I know what I have seen.

Originally Posted by Orkney 90

Yes, I know size could be an optical illusion. And yes I know most likely it was a large feral cat. But still, I know what I have seen.

Most people over-estimate the distance between them and an object in the distance and therefore believe the object to be bigger than it is.


Almost certainly a large feral cat. Unless it WAS a dog.

Originally Posted by Orkney 90

At the risk of sounding like those wonderful Americans on "Monster Quest" who claim they've seen all kinds of critters, I must admit that I have seen a large black animal resembling a cat on two separate occasions at Newnes Junction near Lithgow. The last time was about three weeks ago. The damn thing ran across the railway tracks in front of my train, once close enough for me to think I was going to hit it.


I know domestic cats well enough, I have one. I do know that they can get quite large. But this thing was easily the size of a medium sized Labrador, which unfortunately I had one hit with the train many years ago near Bankstown, and it still saddens me. But this jet-black cat was sleeker and thinner than a Labrador.


Yes, I know size could be an optical illusion. And yes I know most likely it was a large feral cat. But still, I know what I have seen.

You sound like you are quite convinced at what you saw - despite speaking with an air of skepticism. I don't doubt for a second that what you saw is the panther which has been spotted in the Lithgow area for decades. A quick search on Google will uncover a vast array of news articles & reports of sightings in that area.

Do you remember the date of your sighting?

I'll be back at Eramanga in a week or so, will see if that skull is still there.