12 Oct, 2007 @ 08:49
1 min read

La Cala Cougar

by

Is a wild cat on the loose in Mijas Costa?

FOR decades there have been countless sightings of wildcats inside London’s M25, but on the beach in La Cala? Now that is stretching it.

But that is what English couple Ean and Valerie Ritchie are convinced they saw when they looked out from their balcony on the Los Claveles estate in la Cala last week.

Standing stock still, staring at them through a thicket of trees and undergrowth, was what appeared to be a black panther.

While they quickly rushed to get their camera for a picture, sadly the image was anything but convincing.

That said, a vet confirmed that it looked like a wild cat and called in the police.

However after a long search, involving 20 hunting dogs, agents from both the local police and environment protection agency Seprona were unable to find any signs of the wild animal.

Spokesman Jose Garcia admitted the sighting was “strange” but believes that the animal is more likely to be a wild boar or some sort of dog, than a wild cat.

It is the second time the Ritchies’ claim to have seen the cat from their apartment, which is close to a golf course.

“We saw it two and a half months ago but we did not get the chance to take a picture”, they revealed.

They added that their son had also spotted the wild cat while staying at their Mijas home. “The vet told us is could not be a dog. And it never barked. It looked at us for a few seconds and ran away,” claimed Valerie.

Local restauranteur Paul Darwent of Gazpacho bar, in La Cala, is rather more sceptical. “Everyone has been talking about this story all week, but as yet, nobody has claimed to have seen it.

“I find it a bit hard to believe. Where is this animal going to live? I know there is a golf course up by Los Claveles, but you would think someone might have spotted it playing golf.”

5 Comments

  1. Hi Paul,
    Do you remember catering for a 80th birthday 5 years ago? We are arranging an 85th birthday for this October but not sure where you are now. Do you still have contact with the keyboard musician who supplied music and songs at El Chaparral?

  2. Saw the panther whilst playing golf Around 15plus years ago on the north course at la cala it crossed the 17 the fairway 2 of us spotted this animal we asked in the pro shop what it was and they were aware of it but could not elaborate other than they new about it,this is not a native cat of Spain I guess it’s an escapee,it was a large panther like cat I will never forget it.

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