# Black Panther or Big A$$ house cat?



## skullworks

Alright...I know...I know...but this is the most legit picture I've ever seen. Taken in central Alabama. Opinions?


















Original and an enlarged version.










Lightened version.


----------



## PompNewbie

no way thats a house cat..


----------



## FenderBender

that could be a skinny dog like an all black greyhound even... obviously a guy was in the tree who took the picture... what does he say it was? i agree it looks very cat like but pictures can be deceiving


----------



## tips n tails

Whats the other dark object out in the under growth? def, not a house cat, I might leaning towards the skinny dog thought.


----------



## skullworks

FenderBender said:


> that could be a skinny dog like an all black greyhound even... obviously a guy was in the tree who took the picture... what does he say it was? i agree it looks very cat like but pictures can be deceiving


He says it was a big cat. I don't personally know him though.


----------



## WW2

Looks like a black lab to me.


----------



## FenderBender

I do believe in black panthers though... a year and a half ago I was driving towards Shreveport just a few miles north of Alexandria and it was almost dark. A 30 or 40 pound all black cat was sitting on it's haunches just like a housecat sits in the left lane of the interstate. 

When I got closer he jumped all the way across the median in one leap from where he was sitting and took one more leap and jumped across both southbound lanes and disappeared in the woods. I swear on my life this is true, and I wasn't tired or anything when I saw it. Plain as day.


----------



## Deeplines

tips n tails said:


> Whats the other dark object out in the under growth? def, not a house cat, I might leaning towards the skinny dog thought.


That would be Bigfoot.


----------



## JD7.62

Dog, neck is too long and in the second picture you can clearly see floppy ears.


----------



## WACKEM&STACKEM!

Choot em choot em


----------



## Chris V

That ain't no house cat!

My friend Tommy has pics of a black panther from his hunting camp about 3 hrs north of here.


----------



## Pinksnappertrapper

Thats a panther. No dog, the other black thing looks like a feeder.


----------



## Firefishvideo

I squeezed out all the detail I could from the photo.....looks like a half starved dog to me, but its really not a good enough photo to make out all the details. Could be floppy ear, but might be a spot on the ground.....does seem to have a long neck though.


----------



## keperry1182

Ok, so I'm not a biologist so I guess my oppinion is just a guess but look at the front paw, it's small in relation to the leg compared to a cat's, any cat. Panthers, lions, tigers they all have big paws in relation to their legs for better footing on uneven terrain and their paws are rounded. On this animal they are oblong shaped like a dogs foot. I guess it could be a cat but I'm going with a dog.


----------



## HisName

Need to field check it.

ever watch monster quest ? they never find a monster
Big Foot? never catch one.

should have shot it and ether be a hero with a great mount or just bury a dog and not tell anyone:thumbsup:


----------



## TailRazor

Is it legal to shoot black panthers?


----------



## philip lee adams

At first it looked like a black lab with pointy ears , but in the lightened version I would Definatly say it is a panther


----------



## bamaman08

Wirelessly posted

I believe it's a panther. The body looks too long to be a dog IMO. A greyhound is the only dog I would consider. I saw a black panther 7 or so year's ago in Baldwin county. Came across the dirt road in front of my dad and me and jumped up the 8-10 foot bank....wish I had video of that!!


----------



## roanokeriverrunner

Looks like a dog too me the ears look funny


----------



## Skullkracker

Dog that's what it is a dog


----------



## Outside9

http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/BlackCat.htm


----------



## grassbed hunter

one well placed shot would have settle this


----------



## keperry1182

No cases of a melanistic (black) cougar have ever been seen, recorded by a scientist, bred in captivity despite enormous effort to do so or filmed/photographed with certainty. Melanistic bobcats have been found in florida along with the chance that it is a "pet" that someone couldn't handle like a black jaguar (panthera onca), but this is certainly a dog. The body is not the right in the correct proportion to be a cat. Those are floppy ears, and the feet are wrong and tracks don't lie. Here is a pic for comparison, I don't doubt the possibility of a new species, especially due to the prevalance of this "Folktale" but this is a dog. The choctaw indians have many myths that include the "black cougar", usually as a harbinger of death!


----------



## fromthedepths

that's a panther all day long .i have seen them a few times when i was younger in florida .the long tail is a dead giveaway and the shape of its body. cool pics i'd siht my pants ,if he wanted to he'd be up that tree in about a half second.


----------



## nb&twil

HisName said:


> Need to field check it.
> 
> ever watch monster quest ? they never find a monster
> Big Foot? never catch one.
> 
> should have shot it and ether be a hero with a great mount or just bury a dog and not tell anyone:thumbsup:


:thumbsup:


----------



## Five Prongs Of Fury

keperry1182 said:


> No cases of a melanistic (black) cougar have ever been seen, recorded by a scientist, bred in captivity despite enormous effort to do so or filmed/photographed with certainty. Melanistic bobcats have been found in florida along with the chance that it is a "pet" that someone couldn't handle like a black jaguar (panthera onca), but this is certainly a dog. The body is not the right in the correct proportion to be a cat. Those are floppy ears, and the feet are wrong and tracks don't lie. Here is a pic for comparison, I don't doubt the possibility of a new species, especially due to the prevalance of this "Folktale" but this is a dog. The choctaw indians have many myths that include the "black cougar", usually as a harbinger of death!


 
I agree!!! Its 100% canine. Feet are a dead give away. If it would have been the tan/buckskin color of a Panther I would have been inclined to look at it a little closer. Dog for sure. As someone said previously, one well placed shot would have solved all of this.:yes:


----------



## archer-1

TailRazor said:


> Is it legal to shoot black panthers?


FWC says they dont exist and the Alabama Game commission says they dont even have panthers in the state (but they do) so I'm gonna smoke the next one I come across....

It cant be illegal if they dont exist!!!:no:


----------



## Outside9

Been in the woods all my 47/48 years, I forget these days. I grew up on a farm 3 hours North of here and if I never saw one in the woods, never heard of one killing farm animals or seen one dead on the highway it does not exist!


----------



## nb&twil

Outside9 said:


> Been in the woods all my 47/48 years, I forget these days. I grew up on a farm 3 hours North of here and if I never saw one in the woods, never heard of one killing farm animals or seen one dead on the highway it does not exist!


Just because you've never seen one does not mean they don't exist. I've been fishing most of my life on the panhandle one all the different piers and I have never seen a yellowfin tuna from the pier. Is it fair for me to assume they don't exist in the Gulf of Mexico?
How about a piebald deer? You ever killed one or seen one dead on the side of the road?


----------



## keperry1182

nb&twil said:


> Just because you've never seen one does not mean they don't exist. I've been fishing most of my life on the panhandle one all the different piers and I have never seen a yellowfin tuna from the pier. Is it fair for me to assume they don't exist in the Gulf of Mexico?
> How about a piebald deer? You ever killed one or seen one dead on the side of the road?


Both are scientifically recorded species yellowfin and piebal deer. Its not just me that hasnt seen a black cougar, but no one has beyond a doubt recorded a melanistic panther anywhere, ever! By your logic you would have to accept all cryptoid species as fact, regardless of proof. That means mermaids, bigfoot, yeti, dragons, thuderbirds and all manner of made up creatures are real just because you cant prove they DONT exist.


----------



## Pinksnappertrapper

we have a panther on our property north of atmore.


----------



## MrFish

I've seen a panther from about the same distance in the Cahaba River WMA and that sure looks like one.


----------



## 20simmons sea skiff

*its no cat*

cats dont have floppy ears, bodies to skinny for lenght, heres what cat ears look like














:no:


----------



## Outside9

nb&twil said:


> Just because you've never seen one does not mean they don't exist. I've been fishing most of my life on the panhandle one all the different piers and I have never seen a yellowfin tuna from the pier. Is it fair for me to assume they don't exist in the Gulf of Mexico?
> How about a piebald deer? You ever killed one or seen one dead on the side of the road?


I can assure you yellow fin exist in the Gulf, I have caught them while fishing offshore. "I have never caught one in a farm pond though"!

I have seen video and photos of dead and alive piebald deer.

Not a very good arguement for them existing!


----------



## Pigsdaddy

20simmons sea skiff said:


> cats dont have floppy ears, bodies to skinny for lenght, heres what cat ears look like
> View attachment 32609
> 
> 
> View attachment 32610
> :no:


Those are some awesome mounts, they look so natural!


----------



## Mike Moore

We used to see panthers on my grandparents property in cantonment 30 years ago. This looks alot like one to me.


----------



## nb&twil

Outside9 said:


> I can assure you yellow fin exist in the Gulf, I have caught them while fishing offshore. "I have never caught one in a farm pond though"!
> 
> I have seen video and photos of dead and alive piebald deer.
> 
> Not a very good arguement for them existing!


I wasn't arguing that "they exist," I was stating that your argument for why they don't exist is a poor one. Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean they don't exist, period. I haven't taken a stance either way to say that they do or don't exist. I was merely drawing from your statements and pointing out that your reasoning was flawed. Sorry if it's tough for you to grasp.
You sir, were the one with a weak argument.
But like I said, I haven't made a statement on whether black panthers exist or not. And since that is the topic of this thread, this will be my last post herein. No need in the two of us going on and on about your/my logic. 
Have a great day.


----------



## FrankwT

Really looks canine and not a cat, has the body of a greyhound, slender great dane, just does not look cat like at all...OK now what is the joke?


----------



## ycanti

http://www2.eufaulatribune.com/sports/2009/mar/06/long-tail_cats_do_exist_in_alabama-ar-575160/


----------



## bigbulls

Good God. The term "black panther" is nothing more or less than a generalized name for large black cats. Most are jaguars or leopards and these do exist, and have been documented in Florida. They have spots just like the normal colored cats do.

That animal in the pic is a dog.


----------



## WACKEM&STACKEM!

My daddy has seen one in nw florida years ago. Way too many experts on here to argue with. If that it is a dog...obama is the best president ever!!!


----------



## floorguy

i have seen cougar paw prints five miles from hwy 29 not sure what this was in the picture we do have puma, cougars what ever you call them they see you you dont see them.not that many bears in florida either?


----------



## grysqurl

Wirelessly posted

Where in central al? We have had 3 sightings on our club by different members. We are in forest home near greenville.


----------



## Outside9

floorguy said:


> i have seen cougar paw prints five miles from hwy 29 not sure what this was in the picture we do have puma, cougars what ever you call them they see you you dont see them.not that many bears in florida either?


Were they "black cougar paw prints"? I wouldn't doubt there was a cougar, Florida panther etc. in some of these big woods. However, no black panthers.


----------



## grysqurl

Wirelessly posted

That animal is over 4' long w/out tail. The tree covers the tail but you can see its too long to be a dog. Definitely a very big cat.


----------



## jim t

I read that if you come across tracks, cover them with whatever you can, try to mark them and then contact the Alabama fish and game.

Jim


----------



## FISHBOXFULL

to big of a neck and small of a head for a dog.


----------



## philip lee adams

If someone would just pull the darn trigger we would solve all of these arguments and questions


----------



## chevelle427

the seclusive Alabama swamp booger


----------



## Mud Duck

I have been told by some old timers around Troy, Al they have seen some Black Cats up there and also Mountian lions, My uncle in south Al, said he saw one in his hay field before


----------



## MrFish

jim t said:


> I read that if you come across tracks, cover them with whatever you can, try to mark them and then contact the Alabama fish and game.
> 
> Jim


Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will deny they exist in Alabama.


----------



## jim t

http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/Watchablearticles/blackcats.cfm

You are right, none have been killed or caught, so it's still a myth according to the state. But they are willing to see evidence.

Last paragraph:

"After reviewing trapping and hunting records back to the 1600s and reports of vehicle collisions with animals from around the state, we can say with relative assurance that there are no native black cats in Alabama. However, if you do think that you see such a creature, try to preserve the tracks by placing a bucket over them and take photographs. You will then want to contact a representative of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries for further investigation."

Jim


----------



## keperry1182

grysqurl said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> That animal is over 4' long w/out tail. The tree covers the tail but you can see its too long to be a dog. Definitely a very big cat.


You ever see a great dane? A mastiff? An irish wolfhound? Plenty of dogs big enough and that animal isnt that big anyway. People are terrible at judging size at distance, any people, most of the observation training ive had focuses on getting around the brains tendency to fill in unknown information with conjecture. And distance/ size estimation. This is a big dog.


----------



## WACKEM&STACKEM!

:whistling::whistling::whistling::blink::001_huh:


----------



## Earl81

Come on fellas its a choopacobra!!!! Hahahaha. That close the man in the tree should post the truth. A cheap pair of binocs would tell him


----------



## Earl81

Sorry its spelled chupacabra


----------



## Punchy

Looks alot like my Great Dane. They are long and get pretty thin behind the rib cage. Also the neck is pretty long which matches a Dane's profile too. But....... 
I found this video that is from Alabama and is pretty good.
http://www.thejump.net/multimedia/cougar/black-panther.htm
Food for thought.

Also its not too far fetched that some whacko had a big cat as a pet and it got out. It just happened a couple of weeks ago in Ohio. I know if I was a nut job and I lost a illegal or dangerouse pet I probably would not go telling people about it.


----------



## Caspr21

shoulda shot him in the head with a grim reaper then posted it!!!!!!!!!!!! for sure a panther


----------



## Outside9

Without a doubt, 100% it is a black panther! I know for sure because I saw this when I went hunting this week.

As the sun was coming up I saw this,









I took these while sitting in the stand,

















When walking back to the truck I saw this as I passed a swamp,


----------



## shootnstarz

I don't know about the picture but one bright, sunny morning back in the 80s I was on the road to La Foresta WMA and some type of big, black CAT ran across the road not 50 yards in front of me, ran along the fence line about 50 feet then leaped like a deer over the fence.

What I remember most was the huge, long, fat tail of this critter. It was moving fast but I don't think it could have been a dog, too much tail.

This has bugged me for years, what this animal was. I will say it looked just like a big, solid black cat but other than that I have no idea.

Rick


----------



## grysqurl

keperry1182 said:


> You ever see a great dane? A mastiff? An irish wolfhound? Plenty of dogs big enough and that animal isnt that big anyway. People are terrible at judging size at distance, any people, most of the observation training ive had focuses on getting around the brains tendency to fill in unknown information with conjecture. And distance/ size estimation. This is a big dog.


You are right my brain screwed up on that one. On a second look it is the same size as the stand, which is probably around 24". So obviously it has to be a house cat. Still sticking with cat.:thumbup:

See it was seen again


----------



## helo_hunter

*Think it could be a *

*Jaguarundi*








Jaguarundis move in a quick weasel-like manner. Their coat is a solid color; either rusty-brown or charcoal gray. Jaguarundis hunt during early morning and evening. They hunt mostly on the ground, but also climb trees easily. Jaguarundis have been seen springing into the air to capture prey. Historical accounts from Mexico suggest that Jaguarundis are also good swimmers and enter the water freely.

*Zoological name:* Herpailurus yaguarondi

*Species:* When it was originally discovered, it was thought that the red form of jaguarundi was a separate species of cat from the other colours. This species was called the eyra. However, it was found that both forms of cat could appear in the same litter, suggesting that they are the same species.The word 'jaguarundi' comes from the Guarani Indian term, 'yaguarundis'. Other names for the jaguarundi include, otter cat, weasel cat, jaguarondi, eyra, and yaguarundi. Although very distinctive in appearance, the jaguarundi has often been classified in the Felis genus. Wozencraft (1993) recognised its differences by allocating a separate genus in the latest taxonomic review of the cats.

Eight subspecies of jaguarundi have been described: 
*- F. (H.) y. yagouaroundi East Venezuela to northeast Brazil *
*- F. (H.) y. ameghinoi Western Argentina *
*- F. (H.) y. cacomitli Southern Texas to central Vera Cruz *
*- F. (H.) y. eyra Southern Brazil, Paraguay and north Argentina *
*- F. (H.) y. fossata Veracruz to central Nicaragua *
*- F. (H.) y. melantho Peru* 
*- F. (H.) y. panamensis Central Nicaragua to Ecuador *
*- F. (H.) y. tolteca Southern Arizona to central Guerro* 

*Presence on the planet:* The jaguarundi is native to Central America and the northern and central countries of South America down to Argentina - it is also rarely sighted in parts of Texas and New Mexico in the southern United States. A number of jaguarundi are also to be found in Florida, although these are descendants of a small population introduced to the area in the 1940’s.


*Habitat:* Jaguarundis live in dense shrubbery and thickets, and on the edge of forests. They are rarely found on open land, and even then, only near to bushes or dense ground cover. There, these cats live a life of relative safety because such thickets are almost impenetrable to both dogs and man which are their chief enemies. They spend most of their time on the ground, but they are expert climbers and garner part of their food in the trees and bushes. They are largely active at night but move about a good deal in the daytime, often going to water to drink at midday.








*Physical appearance:* The jaguarundi is a small cat, with a long tail, short legs, small round ears, and a slender body. It's fur is short and smooth. It is a plain colour, with no patterning, though it is slightly lighter on the underside. The jaguarundi comes in a variety of colours. The main forms are almost black, grey, brown, or fox-red. The darker colours are more likely to be found in rainforest regions, and the paler colours in drier regions. Unlike the adults, newborns have spots on their coats.

*Diet:* Their food consists of rats, mice, birds, and rabbits. They also are reputed to make inroads on poultry. Robert Snow has stated that their chief food is birds and that the young in the dens are fed a similar diet. He reported seeing one old cat spring about 1.5 m into the air and knock feathers out of a low-flying dove. An analysis of stomach contents from 13 Venezuelan jaguarundis revealed the remains of lizards, rodents, small birds, cottontail rabbits, and grass.

*Reproduction & Offspring:* These felines are solitary, except during the breeding season. Gestation lasts for about 60 to 75 days. In each litter, 2-4 blind and helpless young are born. In the tropical regions, breeding is not seasonally restricted. In other regions, breeding happens twice a year, in March and August (this could be the same females having two litters a year, or two different groups of females having one litter a year). The cubs are weened at about 2 months. After this, the mother will teach them how to hunt, and look after themselves. Cubs usually gain full independence at about 10 months old. Sexual maturity is reached at about 2-3 years old. 

*Conservation status:* Although the fur of the jaguarundi is not highly sought after by fur traders the cat is at risk through general deforestation and loss of its natural habitat. In the United States, where sightings of the cat are very rare, it is classified as an endangered species. 








*Status:* Four sub-species of jaguarundi are listed in CITES Appendix 1 with the remaining sub-species in Appendix 2. The IUCN Red Book classifies the jaguarundi as 'Least Concern'. 

*Life span: *10-20 years
Behaviour of Jaguarindis
Behaviour patterns of jaguarundis are very flexible; they are agile climbers and good swimmers. Said to be more diurnal than most cats, they are crepuscular, which is in keeping with their plain, unmarked coloration. Thought to be solitary in the wild, there is evidence that they form groups in captivity. Fathers are allowed contact with their young from when they are about three days old. An extensive repertoire of vocalisations suggests a certain degree of socialisation. Adults will accept different generations of their offspring. They pair in well-defined territories which overlap/are shared with others.


----------



## submariner

Damn I was looking for my pet blackee in the wrong state


----------



## jcoss15

looks like a big cat to me....


----------



## Hercules

I would say black panther. We had one with cubs we saw in Cantonment growing up. Kind of freaky hunting and seeing them cross the road in front of us.


----------

