The Surrey Puma
In the 1960s, people across the Surrey countryside reported a large, sandy-coloured cat, like a puma, prowling the fields and woods outside London.
What was reported
From 1962, reports began to come in of a big, golden-brown cat seen in the countryside of Surrey, south-west of London. Police logged many sightings over the next few years. People described it as the size of a large dog, with a long tail, and reported strange cries at night, footprints and mauled animals.
Newspapers named it the Surrey Puma. In 1966, a photograph was taken near Worplesdon, but it was too unclear to prove anything.
Explanations offered
No puma was ever caught. Explanations include misidentified foxes, dogs and domestic cats, and the possibility of escaped or released exotic pets. The case was one of the first of Britain's many 'big cat' scares.
- When
- 1962–1966 and after
- Where
- Surrey, England, UK
- Witnesses
- Hundreds of residents, police officers and gamekeepers
- Status
- Unconfirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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