Anonymous Witness Reports Encounter with "Large Cat" near Birstall, England

An anonymous witness posted a warning to the Spotted Birstall Facebook page last Wednesday, April 29th, saying that their dog had been attacked by a “large cat” while they were "walking along the railway line towards the A46 Bridge."

Walking today at 4 pm along the Railway track, I reached the A46 Bridge.
My dog was ahead of me, and it turned right onto the small path after the bridge.
I looked to my left and [saw] a large cat staring as I approached the bridge. It turned away, but my dog returned and [saw] the large cat and gave chase, stupidly.
This cat stopped running and went for my dog, and they both bolted further into the wooded area. This cat would have got the better of my dog, and had I not been there screaming and shouting, I believe it would have killed my dog—which is a [112-pound] large dog. Its not exactly small, but this cat was bigger and longer. Please be on your guard for those that use this walk way.

Residents were quick to point out the area’s history of big cat sightings, as well as share their own experiences.

"The comments about the big cat using the railways as its route to get about is correct ," Amanda Berdinner said. "My daughter and I saw one, about 20 odd years ago, climbing in a tree to the side of the Great Central Railway track in Birstall (my garden backed onto the track). I remember ringing a gentleman who studied this for many years, which was reassuring as I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes!"

"I remember looking at my tabby cat [sitting] on the kitchen table, then looking over towards the railway track and seeing what I’m sure was a black puma type big cat in a tree," she added. "It was using its large, low slung tail to balance which is exactly what big cats do!"

According to Victoria Louise, an employee with the Leicestershire County Council, "There has always been rumors of a puma that lives on the railway line, for as long as I can remember. I've never been lucky enough to see it, though."

This report is the third such anonymous sighting to come out of England in April, following a woman in Cumbria who shared a series of photos featuring an animal that many believe to be a puma, and the image of a "large wildcat with big claws" shared by a man in Cambridge.

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