Phantom cats
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Phantom cats or alien big cats (ABCs) are terms generally (see below) referring neither to cats from outer space nor phantom cats,[1] but alleged big cats found outside of their territorial range. The explanations for their sightings ranges from the sensible, such as escaped zoo creatures, military mascots and pets, to the absurd, such as there being a population of hybrid big cats in Britain.[2]
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[edit] Actual occurrences
Given the amount of zoos in the world, and the fact that big cats are a common feature in said zoos, one escaping at some point is inevitable. Notable occurrences have occurred in the UK with escaped pumas and lynxes.[3][4]
[edit] The woo
As with many things in cryptozoology, whenever there is something sensible, there is also something outlandish. In the case of alien big cats, the idea that the cats in question are in fact relict populations from the last ice age.[5][6] And, of course, there are people who believe that the cats are indeed paranormal or perhaps shapeshifters.[7][8] A notable film treatment of the subject is the movie Cat People.
[edit] External links
- British Big Cats- Sorting Fact From Legend
- http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-04/25/big-cat-lynx-bristol-wild
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ There's even a movie
- ↑ MessyBeast:HYBRID BIG CATS IN THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE A good debunking
- ↑ The Scottish Big Cats Trust: Felicity the Puma
- ↑ The BBC:Police report solves lynx mystery
- ↑ Squidoo:Mystery Big Cats of Australia
- ↑ Fortean Times:Alien Big Cat thread
- ↑ UFO Digest:Alien Big Cats - Paranormal Panthers - Shape-shifters?
- ↑ Cambridge Paranormal Research Society:Alien Big Cats