2026-09-18 13:01:16

A big cat tracker who investigates sightings in the UK has explained why they don’t attack humans.

The expert – named only as Chris, 47, from Northampton – is part of a group which looks into potential sightings of big cats on the loose in the British countryside and he’s convinced beasts lurking in the wild are well fed because there’s a healthy supply of prey such as rabbits and deer – and they don’t approach people because they see them as a threat.

Chris told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo: “There’s so much food to choose from. The amount of deer we’ve got, foxes, rabbits, everything like that, you know, there’s loads of food for them to choose from, rather than tackling a human.

“They know that we’re a danger. And the way they see it is, if they get injured, they can’t hunt. If they can’t hunt, they will die, you know what I mean, so it’s not worth taking a human on.

“Every person that I’ve spoken to that has had a sighting. They’ve seen the cat, the cat’s seen them, the cat moves on.

“It’s never been in contact that close to somebody to be cornered. I think if the cat was cornered it’s going to attack. But it’d rather not, it’d rather keep its distance. It sees you, you see it, it moves on.”

It comes after a report suggested sightings of big cats on the loose in the UK surged over the summer due to the prolonged drought and heatwave conditions.

Wildlife enthusiast Frank Tunbridge – who has spent years studying claims of big cats on the loose in the UK – claims the extreme weather seen across the country has had an impact on reported sightings as he’s convinced the soaring temperatures have driving the cats out of hiding as they search for water sources.

According to Gloucestershirelive.co.uk, Frank said: “Normally these elusive predators are secretive, and you have to be in the right place at the right time to see one.

“But every time there is extreme weather we see changes in their habits, and this overwhelming heatwave and drought has changed the habits of these British Big Cats and brought them more in contact with people, especially in the South West and Wales.

“They have become more bold in their search for water sources and have ventured further afield.” He added: “A similar situation occurred a few years ago when we had another extended spell of extremely hot weather. At that time I received quite a few reports of these large felids taking a drink from garden ponds and cattle troughs.

“One was spotted drinking from an ever-running water source at the local Robinswood Hill Country Park.”

Frank also believes the habits of the cats’ prey draws them out as they appear at dawn and duck to catch deer when they are drinking.

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