Here are some of the most recent reported big cat sightings in the UK (as of late April 2026):
Scotland (Cairngorms / Grantown-on-Spey area) – Mid-April 2026The most prominent recent cluster involves multiple sightings of a large black “puma-like” or panther-like cat in the Grantown-on-Spey area within the Cairngorms National Park.
- On Friday 17 April 2026 (around 9:45pm), farmer and Cairngorms National Park board member John Kirk and his wife saw a very large black cat cross the road in front of their car near the old filling station.
- Several other locals (at least 5–6 more in the following week) reported similar sightings around the town, describing the animal as larger than a Border Collie or the size of a puma.
This has reignited local interest in the long-running “Kellas cat” legend (a possible hybrid or escaped big cat). bbc.com
England – Early 2026 / Spring Reports
- Suffolk: A large black cat was reportedly seen near musician Ed Sheeran’s country estate.
- Dorset: A witness described a black panther moving across Canford Heath near Poole.
- Wiltshire: A dog walker near Chippenham encountered a large cat on a countryside footpath.
- Cornwall: A large cat spotted moving across farmland near Newquay.
- Worcestershire: Police logs released in late April revealed a spate of “panther” reports, including sightings in gardens in Bromsgrove and a February 2026 report in Wyre Forest of a non-aggressive black panther. blackbeastsandboogeymen.com
Other Notable Areas
- Kent continues to be one of the UK’s longstanding hotspots for big cat (often called Alien Big Cats or ABCs) reports throughout 2026.
- Scattered sightings are regularly logged in areas like West Yorkshire, Devon, and North Wales, though many police forces note that verifying them is extremely resource-intensive. westyorkshire.police.uk
Most sightings describe either black/melanistic cats (often called panthers) or sandy/puma-like animals. While many turn out to be large domestic cats, dogs, or misidentifications, a persistent number remain unexplained. Official bodies generally attribute them to escaped pets, hoaxes, or overactive imaginations, but eyewitnesses (including credible locals like farmers) insist they know what they saw. Sightings continue to surface regularly across rural Britain, especially in spring and summer. If you’re in a hotspot area, locals often share reports quickly on social media or dedicated big cat sighting groups.
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