Wild Cat Holds Family and their two Traumatised Pets 'Hostage'

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	Wild Cat Holds Family and their two Traumatised Pets 'Hostage' The Independent: 29th May 2007

A FAMILY says they are living in fear because of attacks on them and their pets by a wild cat.
David Smyth trapped the cat outside his home in Burntollet, Co Derry.
He later released it in countryside 40 miles away. But about 60 hours later, he found it sitting outside his back door.
"I couldn't believe that it had come back from such a distance over a mountain and across rough countryside so quickly," said David.
"We moved in here last March and since then the large orange and white coloured wild cat has attacked my sister Patricia and it has badly injured our pet cats Mister and Missy.
"The neighbours say this wild cat has been here for years. Recently I had to leave the house door open because we were expecting a plumber to call. The wild cat got into the house and attacked Mister and Missy. There was blood everywhere but thankfully they survived. However, they're afraid to go outside now.
"We can't leave any doors or windows open. I contacted an animal shelter and they loaned me a trap which I used to trap the wild cat. I then brought it to a vet to have it neutered. "I then drove 40 miles away to countryside between Coleraine and Kilrea and released it thinking it would stay there, but I got a shock at the weekend when I opened the back door and there it was again.
"People have told me to have it shot or poisoned but I don't want to do that, I don't want to be inhumane. I'll try to trap it again and next time I'll take it to Scotland and release it there, keeping a body of water between it and us, he said.
Local vet Eddie Campbell said it was not unusual for wild cats to travel a long distance to return home. "They have fantastic homing instinct and wild cats are very territorial and these attacks on Mr Smyth's pat cats may be a form of a defence mechanism.
"After the neutering operation, it can take up to 10 weeks for the aggressive male tendencies in the wild cat to lessen. Obviously, this wild cat has a regular food chain which is why it's probably been in the area.

Do you have any information on the above reports. Were you the person involved, or are you aware of any more sightings in this area. We would appreciate any information that you could give us.

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Wild Cat Holds Family and their two Traumatised Pets 'Hostage'

The Independent: 29th May 2007