Sunday 7 December 2008

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT - THE BOOK!


Around February '09, Neil Arnold's vital, mammoth volume MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT, published by the CFZ as part of the MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES series, will go on sale. The book, which covers all of Neil's research into evidence of large, exotic cats in the Kent wilds, as well as a being a unique chronicle of other mysterious creatures to have appeared and haunted the county, will be available on Amazon, Play.com, and all from all good booksellers and also from the author.


Everything you ever wanted to know about Neil's hunt for local 'monsters', encounters with local exotic cats and more...

Tuesday 11 November 2008

Another talk on 'big cats'...

Neil will be giving a lecture on his 'big cat' research to the Crayford Probus, 10:00 am

A talk on 'big cats' etc...

Neil will be giving a talk to The Sceptic's In The Pub on Monday 17th November at 7:00 pm. Location: The Penderel's Oak (Cellar Bar), 283-288 High Holborn, London. Nearest Tubes Holborn and Chancery Lane

Monday 3 November 2008

Neil interviewed at Room 101...

Neil Arnold discusses mystery cats and other strange creatures at Binnall Of America

Neil giving a talk...

At Gravesend Rotary at 1:30 pm, at the Masonic Hall, Wrotham Road.

Who put that cheetah there ?

An intriguing story from Cambridgeshire of the cheetah found in a garden!

Tuesday 28 October 2008

Neil appearing on White Noise Radio

Neil Arnold will be among the guests on WHITE NOISE PARANORMAL RADIO on Halloween from 10:00 pm.

Monday 27 October 2008

Snodland 'mystery' cat SOLVED!

CRYPTOMUNDO have once again featured the Snodland mystery cat and it seems that the cat photographed in Kent was nothing more than a large Burmese.

Kent Online and the Snodland mystery cat

The strange cat photographed in September of 2008 has now been covered by KENT ONLINE despite inconsistencies in the animal description it still seems clear that we are dealing with a large cat that's not simply a big domestic cat. Zoologists have commented that the animal may well be an African Golden Cat despite the facts they weren't commonly kept as pets.

Talk on 'big cats'.

On Thursday 30th October, Neil Arnold will be giving a talk on his research at the 'Day With A Difference', Holmesdale Technology College, Malling Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5HS at 10:30 am.

Thursday 9 October 2008

Wednesday October 15th - Put it in your diary..


For those of you in the south, Neil Arnold will be discussing 'big cat' sightings on the Isle of Sheppey as part of the BBC Inside Out series on BBC Wednesday 15th October at 7:30 pm.

19th century menagerie uncovered...

KENT ONLINE mention the strange 19th century menagerie unearthed at Margate with an intriguing photo of an old cage. Rumour has it that large cats were released from this zoo.

Wednesday 8 October 2008

Once again The Sun falls for big cat story...

HERE the ever reliable Sun newspaper fall for the Jevington 'black leopard' photo by stating that, MONSTER PUSSY IS ON THE PURROWL! The photo of course screams DOMESTIC CAT! It's just a shame that the newspaper couldn't wait to jump in head first and cover the story, as always.

The Beast Of...Balcombe

A school in Balcombe, Sussex, was put on alert on Tuesday 7th October after a sighting by a school assistant and several pupils in relation to a large, gingery coloured cat though to be a puma. The cat was spotted at 11:30 am, and the newspaper, Mid-Sussex Times were called. The cat was described as very large and making a screeching noise.

The Beast Of...Burgess Hill

The Mid-Sussex Times have THIS report on a possible black leopard sighting from September 2008. Includes video interview.

Monday 6 October 2008

More on the Snodland mystery cat...

Website TETRAPOD ZOOLOGY run by Darren Naish focuses on the Snodland mystery cat.

Is this a 'big cat' in Kent ?

Cryptomundo website have published a photo and details of a mystery cat photographed in February 2008 at Snodland, Kent. You decide!

Zoologist Karl Shuker commented, "...thought either golden cat (uncommon in captivity) or jungle/swamp cat Felis chaus (more common in captivity), both of which show the white facial marking seen in the picture, but the detail of the cat isn't sufficient to attempt anything more conclusive in terms of identification."

Wednesday 24 September 2008

Eastbourne Herald features the Downland 'panther'...

http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/In-this-a-Downland-panther.4519623.jp

This is NOT the Jevington 'panther'!!



KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH were sent this photo after a large Alsatian-sized cat was seen by several witnesses on September 29th 2008 at Jevington, near Eastbourne. The image clearly shows a domestic cat, compare to the black leopard image and you will see vast differences.


The arrow points to the location where the animal was actually seen.

Monday 22 September 2008

MEDWAY MESSENGER - SPOOKY GOINGS ON!

Big cat sightings make the list of the local paper's coverage of all manner of weird events which have plagued 2008...link HERE

BIG CAT SPECIAL REPORT - SHEERNESS TIMES GUARDIAN

The Sheppey newspaper goes on the hunt for elusive local mystery cats...

Tuesday 16 September 2008

Neil giving a talk to London Earth Mysteries.

On Tuesday 23rd September 2008 at 7:00 pm Neil Arnold will be giving a talk to the London Earth Mysteries Circle, discussing big cat sightings around London. The venue is at: 50 Gloucester Place, nr Baker Street, London. Nearest tube is Baker Street. The link for the site is HERE

Sunday 14 September 2008

The Thamesmead 'panther' at Londonist

Neil Arnold's latest Londonist installment on the Thamesmead big cat can be read HERE

Tuesday 9 September 2008

THIS IS NOT A BLACK LEOPARD


THE SUN newspaper of Tuesday 9th September believe this photo, taken from Essex, is of a black panther...Neil Arnold contacted the paper to say the animal was nothing more than a domestic cat. The head is completely the wrong shape, as is the tail length...rather worrying however that police, journalists and even some so-called experts couldn't tell the difference!!


Sunday 7 September 2008

Thursday 4 September 2008

Wednesday 3 September 2008

Staplehurst attack on foal (May 2008)

Interesting story courtesy of Kent Online from May 2008 regarding a grisly attack ona foal. Alleged paw-prints were found at the scene and photographs were taken by police officer Pete Gardner, but the one in the image looks very dubious. Read it HERE

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Is this the remains of a Margate menagerie ?

Evidence has always been scarce regarding owners of large, exotic cats in the past, especially pertaining to local menageries. Read HERE regarding the recent possible discovery of a private zoo on the outskirts of the coastal town.

Friday 29 August 2008

Neil's 'big cat' article at THE LONDON WORD

Neil will be contributing regular articles to THE LONDON WORD website. His first feature concerns the possibility that large, exotic cats are roaming the capital. Read it HERE.

Neil comments on Staffordshire 'big cats'.

Thanks to Nick Redfern for bringing this to attention, after a spate of sheep kills in Staffordshire, Neil Arnold contacted the local paper to set the record straight on the sightings. Read it HERE

Tuesday 26 August 2008

Friday 22 August 2008

The Surrey Puma...is back!

BBC Southern Counties chronicle the recent, and not so recent exploits of the elusive puma population.

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Sunday 10 August 2008

West Thamesmead Leopard Sighting


A Black Leopard has been reported from Goldfinch Road, West Thamesmead. A man, who did not wish to be named, was awoken at 3:00 am during Saturday 9th August, by a strange screeching sound. Upon peering out out of the curtains he saw a small animal race along the pathway, and then something larger caught his attention, he said: "I saw a black animal rolling on the grass between two trees. I thought to myself, 'Bloody hell! That's the biggest moggy I've ever seen', and then thought, 'It must be a dog'. However, its head was cat-like and its tail was very long. It walked to the left to some bushes and I moved the other curtain but couldn't see it."
The animal the man saw was a black leopard which over the last few years has become known as the beast of Bexley, a creature around 4-5 ft in length.

Saturday 9 August 2008

Friday 8 August 2008

Sevenoaks puma sighting

From the Sevenoaks Chronicle:

Posted-: 12:00 - 07 August 2008
A big cat could be at large in Otford, according to a motorist who claims he saw a large creature similar to a puma lurking in the village. Peter Nertney posted a comment on BBC Kent's Big Cat Country web page describing what he saw: "I saw a large cat similar in size and colour to a puma running across the lawns of St Michael's School in Otford on Friday July 25 at about 5.30pm."When I honked my horn, it stopped and turned around before running into the bushes."


Neil Arnold, of Kent Big Cat Research, has spent years collating sightings and evidence of large felines. He said: "I don't get many puma reports but I don't get as many because they don't stand out as much."Pumas have been around since Roman times when they were imported so they could fight in amphitheatres."But Mr Arnold believes there are other big cat species roaming the Sevenoaks countryside aside from pumas."There has been a big black leopard in the area, which hasn't been seen for a short while," he said."There are possibly two because of the different sizes people have reported."One is a bigger, stockier male and the other a smaller female."Mr Arnold said the cats' main prey are rabbits and pheasants, but he has had reports of deer that have been found eaten.

The Sevenoaks newspaper misquoted Neil Arnold. The Romans never had puma's, they would not have heard of them as they were cats of the New World.

More coverage of the Thanet 'big cat' sightings

HERE at the Thanet Extra

Sunday 3 August 2008

Wednesday 9 July 2008

Rare Amur leopards.

Feature from Kent Online on the breeding of rare Amur leopards at the big cat foundation in Smarden.

Monday 7 July 2008

Mark Of The Beast ?


During May 2008 the Medway Messenger ran a brief story regarding this very impressive paw-print that was photographed on Queenborough mud flats, Sheppey, by Louise Powell and Sally Spencer.

Thursday 19 June 2008

Talk on big cats

Neil Arnold will be giving a talk in Ditton on Friday 20th June 2008. The lecture will be given to the Ditton Gardening Club and will begin at 7:45 pm. The venue is at the Community Centre at Klin Barn Road.

Thursday 5 June 2008

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES SERIES

Neil Arnold's book on MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT is finished and will be published by the guys at the CENTRE FOR FORTEAN ZOOLOGY and over at fellow researcher Nick Redfern's site HERE there is mention also of other counties being included in the intriguing series. Neil Arnold's Kent volume is more than 300 pages and will feature two huge chapters on his research into 'big cats' as well as other mystery creatures from the county. Neil will also be writing a book on strange creatures around the capital.

Friday 2 May 2008

BEXLEY TALK ON BIG CAT RESEARCH


On Thursday 8th May 2008 at 2:00pm Neil will be giving a talk on his 'big cat' research at the Bexley U3A, THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE, at ROBERT'S HALL, behind CHRIST CHURCH BROADWAY, BEXLEYHEATH, DA6 8DG

Sunday 27 April 2008

The Beast of Winchmore Hill

At Londonist Neil Arnold reached 50 posts of weirdness. Here's a link to his milestone episode, featuring THE BEAST OF WINCHMORE HILL

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Neil Arnold on London Radio

On Tuesday 22nd April 2008 at 8:20 am, Neil Arnold will be discussing mystery creatures with Paul Ross 9brother of Jonathan) and JoAnne Goode, check the show here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/02/29/breakfastshow_ross_good_feature.shtml

Friday 11 April 2008

Great Mongeham Society talk

Neil Arnold will be giving a talk to the Great Mongeham Society on Thursday April 17th 2008 at 8:00 pm.

Thursday 10 April 2008

Researcher spots black leopard


On Wednesday April 9th at 8:45 am, I was standing on land in Hempstead, behind a close called Cobblestones. It was a clear sunny day, and I was with my father. The area itself, being the back gardens, overlooks Capstone Road and a panoramic view of the fields, and where I stood was land that used to be an old farm shop that kept thousands of chickens.The previous day, I'd watched a fox, around 500 yards away mooching through a field of horses, and the animal was difficult to pick up against the grass. However, on the 9th April, I was walking towards the back fence of a garden and looked up to the back of the field where a fence runs across the horizon. Although around 800 yards away, I could clearly see a black animal moving slowly from right to left. I called to my father and we both stood for a minute and watched the animal.It was long in the body, longer than an Alsatian, but low in the back, and jet-black and it moved completely unlike a dog. On one occasion it stopped, sniffed the ground, and then sat on its haunches. Seconds later the animal walked again, almost weaving along the fence line. It walked past a small gateway and then turned back and slipped through it, out of sight into the foliage.Twenty-five minutes before at the base of the field an elderly gent and a woman were walking their two dogs, a small white terrier and a fox-sized black dog. They reached the top of the field, and walked along a field just behind the fence-line where the cat had prowled. Their dogs were scampering dots in the distance, and moved nothing at all like the animal we observed.We scanned the area for another five hours and a handful of people walked their dogs but again, not in that field but the one behind, and none of the movements of their dogs, or indeed the size, compared to what we'd seen.In 2000 we saw a black leopard on two occasions just a mile or so from that particular area which we determined crosses into Lordswood's Hook Wood, where other sightings have occurred.I would like to hear from anyone who may have been walking their dogs that day because they may have also seen the panther. A week or so previous there had been sightings at Wouldham, Blue Bell Hill and across at Halling.Whilst I consider it a privilege to see such an animal again, I also put it down to very good research!

Neil in TIME OUT magazine April 10th-16th 2008


Neil discusses large cats on the loose in London, strange creatures around the capital and other mysterious monsters in the April 10th-16th Issue of TIME OUT magazine, page 52.

Tuesday 1 April 2008

TALK ON BIG CATS AROUND LONDON

Neil will giving a talk to the South East London Folklore Society on April 10th at 8:00 pm.
Details HERE

Thursday 20 March 2008

Neil in THE CAT magazine

In the Spring edition of THE CAT magazine, from the Cats Protection League, Neil Arnold is interviewed by Tom Briggs regarding the big cat situation across the country.

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Neil's BEASTS OF LONDON website voted in 'Time Out' magazine's TOP 50

Neil's London-based BEASTS OF LONDON website has been voted in Time Out magazine's TOP 50 London-based websites.
Check out the link: http://www.timeout.com/london/features/4273.html?DCMP=OTC-Mag-50BestWebsites

Monday 10 March 2008

Kent Online Poll: Do Big Cats Exist In The Countryside ?

After several fresh sightings of the Beast of Blue Bell Hill, the Kent Online website is covering the story:

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/default.asp?article_id=39098

Sunday 9 March 2008

Neil's 'Londonist' Sunday article

Read it HERE, a case from 1995 in the capital concerning an American college student and a black leopard.

Monday 3 March 2008

THE BEAST OF BLUE BELL HILL - THE MOVIE!

Neil was recently filmed by freelance cameraman Mihali Moore, for a project. The idea was for Mihali to make a short, three-minute film on the subject of 'Adventure' and chose Neil as his subject. The documentary was filmed around Blue Bell Hill.
A link for the film will be posted on here soon.

Talks on big cats locally.

Neil has several talks lined up and will post details shortly of locations.

Friday 15 February 2008

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT


Neil is currently working on his next book, MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT and would like to hear from anyone who has had an encounter with any strange and mysterious creatures in the county.

Thursday 14 February 2008

Gravesend Rotary Club

Neil will be giving a talk at the Gravesend & Meopham Rotary Club on Tuesday 26th February at 7:30 pm

Ashford Rotary Club

Neil would like to thank everyone at the Ashford Rotary Club for thewelcome and amazing reception to his talk conducted on Monday February 11th.

Friday 25 January 2008

Neil's article on Philadelphia cougar sightings

Neil is now a contributor for Philadelphia website Phillysit where he will be running a column called PHILADELPHIA WEIRDNESS. His first article is on MYSTERIOUS PHANTOM COUGARS

Thursday 17 January 2008

Tuesday 15 January 2008

Big cat articles - Yearbook


The new Centre For Fortean ZoologyYearbook is now available to buy, featuring some superb articles of a cryptozoological nature, and including Neil Arnold's 'Cats Around The Capital' and Karl Shuker's 'A Trio Of Mystery Cats At London Zoo'.


The book is available from http://www.cfz.org.uk/


Saturday 12 January 2008

A more slender leopard ?

http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/01/melanistic_mystery_moggies.php#trackback Very interesting page here from Darren Naish considering many people in the UK often describe cats that appear more slender than how we expect leopards to actually be.

Thursday 3 January 2008

First Kent 'big cat' sighting of the year...

The first Kent cat sighting of 2008 has come from near Faversham.
A man and his wife travelling along a back road at 10:35 pm on New Year's Day, saw a strange set of bright eyes in the headlights. The man, who was the passenger spotted something large and black in the road. As the vehicle approached the animal, which the man described as around six-feet in length with a very long tail, sprang into the hedge and out of sight.

Tuesday 1 January 2008

Farmer's, get in touch.


KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH would like to appeal to any farmers who've lost sheep, whether in the past, in the present, infrequently or often. A majority of farmers are often unaware of large cats roaming the countryside, whilst others are seemingly afraid to come forward to report their losses. It's important that farmers and the like are made aware of such animals roaming the fields and woods, and that sheep losses ARE often the work of 'big cats' and not dogs.

Many people contact researchers, wildlife agencies, authorities etc, to report that they've lost sheep and that they want the wild dogs caught, despite the fact that the injuries they speak of are not typical of dog attacks.

Dogs are spiteful and brutal when they attack sheep, and many can be killed or severely wounded in a night, but a dog will not leave scratch marks down the flank of a ewe, or administer a crushing throat bite to leave four puncture marks in what often ends up a dislocated neck. Sheep are rarely eaten by dogs, and certainly never eaten cleanly, as an animal such as a puma or leopard will kill a sheep and with a rasping tongue clean the bones, leaving a very tidy carcass.

Of course, younger cats plying their trade and learning to hunt may make a slight mess, and scavengers which tend the victim afterwards will also alter the kill, but in general, we expect a 'big cat' kill to be clean and efficient, even stored up in a tree.

Farmers need to come forward to share their tales, because although they are very private people it must be known as to which flock attacks are down to cats and which are dogs.

There may even be dogs out there attacking sheep and giving 'big cats' a bad name, and locals creating legends which simply aren't there, but the reality is, alot of farmers are losing sheep to exotic felids, but they must report and photograph their livestock casualties.
Other farmers may indeed take to the fields with guns, eager to take a pot-shot at a cat, if they are lucky enough in their eyes to see one. The last we thing we need is an injured and very aggressive cat on the loose.
It seems unlikely that farmers will ever be compensated for losing sheep and lambs to large cats, but if the farmers voice isn't being heard then nothing can be enforced.
GET IN TOUCH!

2007 sightings round-up for London area

Located at Londonist: http://londonist.com/2007/12/the_saturday_st_31.php a brief round-up of London-related exotic cat sightings.

Neil's book voted 'best of year'!

Cryptomundo.com has voted MONSTER! THE A-Z OF ZOOFORM PHENOMENA the 'BEST FORTEAN CRYPTOZOOLOGY BOOK OF 2007'. http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/cz-books-2007/