'Panther Prowled into my Lounge'
A SPACE scientist had a close encounter of the furred kind when a
black panther called at his home.
Astro physicist Brian Shear claims the big cat walked into his living
room and settled on his settee in the early hours of Thursday.
Brian said: "It had green eyes and was between four to five feet long,
nose to tail. This was no pussycat. It didn't miaow, it growled.
"I'd been sitting in my armchair when it walked in. I didn't try to
get too close to it because I was concerned it might bite me.
"I just sat there and talked to it like you would a normal pussy cat.
I said, 'Hello puss, where've you been then?' and it just growled.
"It seemed quite content and I didn't feel threatened. I don't think
it would have harmed me.It seemed familiar with humans."
The 64-year-old diabetic said he had woken up at his home in Nunhead
Lane, Nunhead, feeling ill and opened his front door to let some air
in but got the uninvited house guest instead.
After an hour the cat left Brian's home and disappeared towards Dulwich.
It is not the first time a big cat has been reported in South London.
Last year dad-of-three Tony Holder said he was pounced on by a large
cat-like animal in the backyard of his Sydenham home.
Armed police patrolled the neighbourhood for several days afterwards
and people were warned not to use local parks.
Experts suspected a black panther had leapt at Mr Holder.
icSouthLondon: 20th October 2006
