Kilkenny Wild Cat - Pictures Attached

grmcom · 01-05-2010 11:35am #1

My dad caught a few pictures of a large wild cat in a local woods this morning. The pictures were taken using a trail camera which takes a picture automatically when it detects movement.
The cat appears to be huge when compared to pictures of other animals taken from the same vantage point.
Has anyone seen anything like it?
I would love to hear any information/stories you might have about Irish wild cats.

bonerjams03 · 01-05-2010 1:59pm

I don't see much difference in size with another cat, or with the otter. Just looks like a normal housecat to me....

cfitz · 01-05-2010 3:19pm

There may have been wildcats in Ireland in the past (though I haven't read the paper, referenced in this article: http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/04/european_cats_part_iii.php). And long ago, it seems lynx existed here (http://www.sciencespin.com/magazine/archive/2009/07/visiting-irelands-wild-past-/). But I think it is very unlikely that you're dad has found a wildcat (as opposed to feral).

PirateShampoo · 01-05-2010 5:26pm

Looks like your regular house cat to me.

Morganna · 01-05-2010 5:34pm

Wild cats are usually tabby not tortie

Rainbowsend · 01-05-2010 9:02pm

I dont know but Otters are fairly big way bigger than a cat, and the size
of the two look very similar, saying that I dont know what it is either!

Morganna · 01-05-2010 9:35pm

wild cats are tabbby and have tufts of hair on their ears ,

cfitz · 01-05-2010 10:34pm

Morganna wrote: »

wild cats are tabbby and have tufts of hair on their ears ,

I don't think this is true - perhaps you're thinking of lynx or bobcat? Regardless, it's probably not relevant when only domestic cats exist in Ireland!

marlin vs · 01-05-2010 11:03pm

It's just a well fed feral cat, I caught one only a couple of weeks ago trying to get into our pen and it was eight and a half pounds weight.The scars are from him trying to get through the fence.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1302/catoe.jpg

Sid_Justice · 01-05-2010 11:10pm

Rainbowsend wrote: »

I dont know but Otters are fairly big way bigger than a cat, and the size
of the two look very similar, saying that I dont know what it is either!

Not true. Plenty of small otters would be 'cat sized'

Run_to_da_hills · 01-05-2010 11:13pm

These are known as Phantom cats.

The UK tabloids frequently report on them. most end up being domestic cats unless something has escaped from a private zoo. You would have more of a chance of spotting an unusual cat in the North of Ireland than any other place on the British Isles because of the lax licensing laws for keeping exotic pets there.

drakshug · 01-05-2010 11:31pm

That's a feral cat - just a cat gone wild. Ireland hasn't had wildcats for years.
This is a wildcat

They are massive compared to a housecat. Seen a few up climbing in the Highlands and a few roadkills as well.
Notice the rings on the tails.

Edit: Highlands of Scotland that is.

martina_670 · 01-05-2010 11:45pm

drakshug wrote: »

That's a feral cat - just a cat gone wild. Ireland hasn't had wildcats for years.
This is a wildcat

They are massive compared to a housecat. Seen a few up climbing in the Highlands and a few roadkills as well.
Notice the rings on the tails.

Edit: Highlands of Scotland that is.

wow, the eyes on him, i bet he means business. beautiful though

Mothman · 02-05-2010 8:00am

Feral cats in general seem so healthy. I've one regularly passing through here and he's so fat, also responsible for taking one of my young hens

partly explains his good condition

martina_670 · 02-05-2010 8:51am

Thats nature, sad

by the way your weather station is great

bonerjams03 · 03-05-2010 12:51am

Interesting this should crop up in the news, it's in Scotland but worth the read.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8656855.stm

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 04-05-2010 8:56am

grmcom wrote: »

My dad caught a few pictures of a large wild cat in a local woods this morning.

:D:D I'm afraid this is no WIld Cat. It's probably not even feral. It's just a moggie on the prowl!

Dusty87 · 06-05-2010 11:23pm

Rhea Many Mechanic wrote: »

:D:D I'm afraid this is no WIld Cat. It's probably not even feral. It's just a moggie on the prowl!

Yea its not large. zoom and look at the size of the ivy plant

E39MSport · 07-05-2010 12:34pm

I put myself forward for a slagging here but I'm convinced I saw a black panther/cougar type cat in Marley Park about 7-8 years ago. It was winter months and was walking behind and to the right of the mini railway.
It was massive and had a long tail that curved away from it and upwards.

I was in shock for hours afterwards. Told the wardens but I think it gave them good fuel for a laugh over post-shift beers.

Dusty87 · 08-05-2010 4:08pm

E39MSport wrote: »

I put myself forward for a slagging here but I'm convinced I saw a black panther/cougar type cat in Marley Park about 7-8 years ago. It was winter months and was walking behind and to the right of the mini railway.
It was massive and had a long tail that curved away from it and upwards.

I was in shock for hours afterwards. Told the wardens but I think it gave them good fuel for a laugh over post-shift beers.

Usually funny season is around the end of summer not winter:D:D. Heard of other sightings in Marley Park though

E39MSport · 10-05-2010 8:38am

Dusty87 wrote: »

Usually funny season is around the end of summer not winter:D:D. Heard of other sightings in Marley Park though

Big cat sightings? I would be very interested to hear about that as I'm convinced of what I saw.

bariga · 12-10-2010 8:24pm

I looked at these cat pictures . This is a feral domestic cats

recedite · 14-10-2010 9:04pm

Its a female tortoiseshell housecat; probably belongs to someone up the road.
Could you post the make and model of the trail cam? The images are a nice quality. I'm tempted to get one.

Connacht · 15-10-2010 4:57pm

Durnish · 15-10-2010 6:39pm

BBC's Autumnwatch featured some possible wild cat film from the Cairngorms last night. I think the presenter was Irish, Liz Bonnin.

jap gt · 16-10-2010 11:48am

recedite wrote: »

Its a female tortoiseshell housecat; probably belongs to someone up the road.
Could you post the make and model of the trail cam? The images are a nice quality. I'm tempted to get one.

from the pictures i think its one of these

http://www.reconyx.com/

ppink · 17-10-2010 5:16pm

If this was a wild cat would he have his back turned to the camera, I would have thought a wild cat would spot you and your camera before you spot him.

Mothman · 17-10-2010 5:26pm

ppink wrote: »

If this was a wild cat would he have his back turned to the camera, I would have thought a wild cat would spot you and your camera before you spot him.

Please read first post

The pictures were taken using a trail camera which takes a picture automatically when it detects movement.

recedite · 17-10-2010 5:46pm

Here's the exact model, not on their own website for some reason, maybe a discontinued model.
Some good stuff under "useful information" on bottom left of this webpage
http://www.trailcampro.com/reconyxrc60horeview.aspx

ppink · 17-10-2010 6:33pm

Mothman wrote: »

Please read first post

funny I "read" it a few times but completely missed that vital bit

Rockery Woman · 17-10-2010 7:45pm

Looks like a brindle patterened domestic shothaired cat to me. Anyone ever seen any large wild cats in Ireland?

I know there have been reported sightings in Northern Ireland. Its presumed they were pet cougars or other large cats which were released into the wild. Northern Ireland has more relaxed laws about pet ownership than the Republic apparently. You couldnt keep a pet lion or tiger in the Republic - imagine taking one of those for a walk - nobody would go near you!

And how many tins of Whiskas would it eat? Imagine the size of the litter tray....:D

Kilkenny Wild Cat - Pictures Attached

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