Comments on: New Black Panther Video

By: MultiSlacking

MultiSlacking — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:52:20 +0000

Given the quality of the footage, I would say it could possibly be one of the “newer” mixed breeds of exotic and domestic cats, widely referred to as “Bengals”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_(cat)
More than likely, given the looks of it though, I would say it had been crossed with the Serval:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serval
And the hazards of these larger mixed breed cats:
http://www.theage.com.au/national/what-do-you-get-when-you-mix-an-african-serval-with-a-tabby-20080614-2qnv.html

The servals do have a melanistic gene, adding to the possibility of the “black panther” sightings. I’ve seen some of these cats first hand (not the melanistic) and they do have a very large, long-legged, muscular appearance. The long legs really add to the “apparent” size of the animal, making it difficult to gauge weight accurately (the original article had one person guessing it was 120lbs or more).

By: Munnin

Munnin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:43:44 +0000

Domestic “house cats” can be pretty large; even bigger than 2 1/2 - 3 feet. Apparently, in 2006, the record length for a domestic cat was held by a 48″ long Main Coon.

By: Fishing J

Fishing J — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:16:42 +0000

and yes I’m talking about Kansas and in Oklahoma as well.

By: Fishing J

Fishing J — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:15:33 +0000

The length of the cat is what makes it look like something bigger than an ordinary house cat as far as comparing it to the background. Still, there needs to be other pictures taken to compare and get a better idea. There are big cats there, I’ve come acrosss them quite a few times. I’ve seen them with slickhair, and I’ve seen them with big bushy hair. I got to get close to one road kill that was of the bushy hair type. It was about 2 1/2-3 feet long. I have seen them on the round hay stacks atleast 3 times. I imagine they use them to get above the grass to get a better view for prey. Every single big cat I have seen was black. They are there!

By: GiJin

GiJin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:48:50 +0000

I actually live in Galena Kansas and have know about “cougars” in our area for my entire life. In the summer time you can hear several big cats howl. I will get video of someone walking the same path that the big cat took and post it here soon. I obviously wont be able to get my camera at the angle that their security cam is but ill do my best. Ill scout around for tracks.

By: Dj Plasmic Nebula

Dj Plasmic Nebula — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:04:06 +0000

Panther or house cat.. one of those two.. or unknown species

By: shumway10973

shumway10973 — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:20:54 +0000

That is a house cat. Panthers lumber and most scuff their huge feet. Not to mention most pictures I’ve seen of most large cats that black panthers are a part of, their legs are even in height. Most house cats that get mistaken for panthers, the front legs seem lower/smaller than the back.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:50:26 +0000

I wouldn’t have compared this video to my black cat unless I had noticed the way my cat holds his head and the way his shoulder blades go up when he walks. It is the same as this cat on the video. Also my cat is some kind of a mixed breed that is rather long and big-boned but sleek of fur, so he gives this look of a panther or leopard in his proportions. He is getting elderly and has arthritis, so that might explain why he holds his head low like this and raises his shoulder blades–could be he has a chronic sore neck.

I don’t suppose we are ever going to find out if this is the common housecat, or even someone’s pet?

By: red_pill_junkie

red_pill_junkie — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:46:31 +0000

The ears and the tail shout domestic cat to me.

By: Munnin

Munnin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:30:56 +0000

This is a tough one. It’s difficult to see much detail in the fence, and to gauge the distance of the animal from it, in order to estimate the size in relation to it. The cat does look fairly muscular. The shoulders of my own pet cats rise up above their backs in a similar, obvious way when they are stalking. But in that mode they tend to slink along in a decidedly crouched way, with their hips lower to the ground, and their heads held lower, but stretched forward and parallel to the ground. When they are walking in a normal fashion, their shoulders don’t seem to stick up as obviously as those of this cat seem to do. I hope we learn more about this one.