The Wampus Cat
In the mountains of Appalachia, people tell of a big cat that walks on two legs, with eyes that glow and a scream like a woman's.
What was reported
The wampus cat is a creature of Appalachian folklore, especially in Tennessee: a huge, cougar-like cat, sometimes walking upright, with glowing yellow eyes and a terrible cry. It's said to prowl the woods at night and carry off livestock.
One version told in the region says she was once a woman who disguised herself in a cougar's skin to spy on a sacred ceremony, and was cursed to take that shape forever. Some versions are attributed to Cherokee storytellers, though their origin is debated.
Explanations offered
Cougars once lived in Appalachia and their screams sound eerily human, which may lie behind the legend. The wampus cat is now a popular school mascot in several US states.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- The Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, USA
- Witnesses
- Appalachian folklore
- Status
- Legend
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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