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Hissing Big Cat Leaves Anglers in a State of Fear

The Northern Scot: 13th June 2008

The Northern Scot
   
THE one that got away for two Moray anglers was black, snarling and pretty vicious. A late-night fishing trip came to an abrupt end for the pair when they came face to face with a big black cat.
Brian McKay and Craig Ferguson got the fright of their lives when the hissing creature looked them up and down.
They were worried about becoming a midnight snack for the eerie prowler and didn't pause long enough to introduce themselves.
Brian (27) and partner's son Craig (15), of Elgin, were fishing on the River Lossie at the Inchbroom woods, just outside Lossiemouth, when they had the chance encounter.
Moments earlier they had heard a high pitched squealing sound from the woods followed by a large splash in the river.
"I switched on my big headlight and saw two eyes swimming across the river coming towards us," said Brian.
"I said 'Oh my god what the hell is this?' It was only two or three feet away from me and was making hissing noises."
Craig added: "I was putting bait on my hook when I heard the splash and then saw it climbing up the river bank."
The cat was about the size of a Labrador dog and was certainly not scared of the anglers, who were left shaken and stirred.
Craig tried to get his mobile phone out to take a snap shot before the animal disappeared, but he was so spooked he couldn't do it in time.
The big cat nochalantly wandered off into the woods, leaving the fishermen to beat a path back to their car.
When they got back to Elgin they stayed up for hours discussing the experience and returned to the spot the following day, taking photos of the footprints in the river bank which were still there.
They have been back fishing close to the spot since the encounter but never at night. "I was speaking to the bailiff about three days later and he said he has seen it quite a lot," said Brian.
"That was the first time we have seen a black cat but a lot of people in the farming community see them all the time."
Black cat sightings have been reported all over Moray for many years but few people have ever seen them close up or photographed them.
They have attracted such tags as the Kingston Big Cat, Kellas Cats and the Beast of Mulben.
Elgin Museum has a stuffed example of the so-called Kellas Cat but there is little conclusive proof of their existence.

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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