Cat or cougar?

black panther perhaps?

The below link says that there are no black cats in Alabama and that they "think" that it is a case of mistaken identity. That really, they are coyotes. I wouldn't put it past people that a cat has been released or escaped. Our (AL and TN region) puma/cougars aren't known to be black, but also, if it's dark could be mistaken identity. Glad my kitty babies stay inside. Stay safe!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Black cats of Alabama

They say there are no black cougars...panthers...but people report seeing them often. My husband and most of my neighbors have seen one here. I saw a big cat cross the highway in front of me not long ago, but couldn't swear to the color...it was dark colored but it was just before dark. It happened so fast, and I was so stunned to see it.

It is said that the black panthers are actually black jaguars. The strangest cat I have ever seen, and I watched it for a good 20 seconds or so, so I got a good look at it, was walking down the bayou here on my property. It was huge, and sand colored and very slick haired...like a cougar. It had a big head like a cougar. No ticking or pattern to the coat like a bobcat. But it had a short tail.
Well, short but due to the size of the cat, it was probably close to 8" long. It was bigger than a bobcat...much, much bigger. It had huge feet and was walking along sort of winging it's feet to the side. It was looking from side to side, as it traveled down a path by the bayou. I guess it was a bobcat but I have seen lots of bobcats here and they aren't that big. Their coats are kind of scruffy and patterned. My neighbor also saw the same cat I did. He said he had never seen anything like it. For sure it wasn't a coyote. I wasn't but about 150' from it when I saw it.

I know this was definitely not a coyote.

It was on neighbors porch, lying down around 10 pm, And none of my neighbors have a pet. It was jet black, fluffy hair and a very long fluffy tail that hung over the side of the porch, which had no railing where it was.

And it most definitely was not a kitty cat.

My neighbor had see it earlier, so I knew what I saw was exactly as she described.

I might behoove you to read this site from the Alabama government:

http://www.conservation.alabama.gov/oaonline/panthers08.cfm

Here is a link that might be useful: Black wild cats in Alabama

I wonder if these kitties are some sort of hybrid, maybe an escaped/abandoned exotic mating with a bob cat.

kayjones, I read that yesterday :o)

marilyn_c did you look at the picture of that Florida Panther in the link kayjones posted it looks much like what you described seeing on the bayou.

In our woods on the bayou in South Louisiana we have seen several really big cats, most were big bob cats but some were not. What they were I have no idea.
I think a lot of this is coming from people who have illegally brought in wild animals then find they can not handle them and end up releasing them in the wild or they escape. Plus no doubt there are those out there that are trying to create new breeds/cross breeds too!

My husband is a tow boat captain, and pushing a barge through the Atchafalaya basin, he saw cougars twice. They are around. The animal I saw looked more like a cougar than a bobcat, but it did not have a long tail, but it was huge. We have a lot of bobcats here...see them fairly often.

I also saw a picture of a cougar that was hit by a truck near Vidor. It was a huge cat....huge, huge feet.