{"id":4976,"date":"2026-08-17T11:00:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T11:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bangbizarre.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/17\/big-cat-the-size-of-a-panther-spotted-in-northamptonshire\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T11:00:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T11:00:20","slug":"big-cat-the-size-of-a-panther-spotted-in-northamptonshire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bangbizarre.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/17\/big-cat-the-size-of-a-panther-spotted-in-northamptonshire\/","title":{"rendered":"Big cat the size 'of a panther' spotted in Northamptonshire"},"content":{"rendered":"

2026-08-17 11:00:18<\/b>
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A woman in Northamptonshire claims to have spotted a big cat the size of a “panther”.

\nMel Barnes, who works as a quality improvement lead, said she saw the beast lurking in a field in the village of Deenethorpe, which is around 10 miles south of Rutland, and she’s adamant it was too big to have been a domestic cat and she wouldn’t have ran indoors to grab her phone if it was “just a moggy”.

\nShe told What’s The Jam: “It looked too big for a domestic cat. I was so shocked by what I was seeing I had to run back in the house for my phone. It was 15 feet away from me.

\n“I probably won\u2019t ever see this again. You had to be there. I know what a domestic cat looks like and I wouldn\u2019t have darted into the house to get my phone just for a moggy.

\n“I have never in my life seen what I suspect looked like a panther \u2013 and will probably never see one again.”

\nNorthamptonshire Police also confirmed they had received a report about the sighting of a big cat around Deenethorpe. A statement given to the publication explained: “We received a report from a member of the public who believed they had seen a large cat in the Deenethorpe area.”

\nThe sighting comes after a UK-based organisation issued safety guidance for hikers and dogwalkers on what to do if a big cat is spotted in the wild.

\nPuma Watch North Wales published a series safety guidelines as part of its Big Cat Awareness Campaign which ran throughout July.

\nThe summer safety guide – which was published online – states: “The species of big cat known to inhabit North Wales are reclusive, solitary animals which avoid human contact.

\n“Provided you don\u2019t deliberately approach or follow one, it\u2019s very unlikely to show any aggression and will likely disappear into safety before you reach any close distance … “

\nThe guide went on to advise walkers to stick to wide, established paths to “reduce the chance of an inadvertent ambush” while keeping small children under close supervision and dogs on short leads.

\nThe safety guide adds: “Avoid walking or hiking alone, especially during dawn, twilight, and nighttime. Carry a (charged) mobile phone and ideally a torch. “Make loud noises as you walk so animals know you\u2019re approaching and can find safety. Consider carrying an air horn or whistle for emergencies.
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