Wildcat?

We had an excited enquiry from a reader this week. She says:

My husband and I are back home after our first visit to Arran. It won’t be the last, as despite the weather we loved the place.
We were staying at the Kinloch Hotel and just after arrival on Friday drove from the hotel south. After passing some highland cattle on a hill on the left side of the road we spotted something crossing the road further up. It looked like a cat but why would a cat be out in the middle of nowhere? We slowed right down, the cat came back to the left side and as my husband scrambled for his camera on the back seat the cat and I stared at each other. Me from the passenger seat and the cat almost right beside me, just at the foot of the hill, on the other side of the fence. It had the black rings on its tail and markings like a wildcat, colour of eyes, shape of its head. It nonchalantly wandered back up the hill and was in no hurry. Unfortunately no picture of course! I decided to Google wildcat arran and this site came up with the article to report sighting – so here you are. I would love to know if there are any known wildcats in this area or was this just a moggy out on a long walk? Elissa.

After we pointed out that there are a lot of feral and feral-cross cats on the island, Elissa came back to say,

It certainly didn’t look domestic or feral/domestic. It was thick set, no white markings, ringed tail and stripy flank and a brown colour with piercing greeny eyes. Only thing I can’t be certain of is if it had a black tip to its tail. I was so busy looking into its lovely wee face! I just wish I’d had the camera to hand! Or my husband had been quicker to get it!

We know just how Elissa feels. Does anyone know if there are any Scottish wildcats surviving here? If so, do please tell us.

Picture of a Scottish Wild cat taken in the Highlands – not on Arran

Readers Comment to the above article :

Reading the article about the Wildcat on Arran I wouldn’t say with any specific knowledge that there are or there are not true wildcats on Arran. However, the wildcat is a very shy creature and it would be extremely unlikely that it would ahve stopped to be seen and indeed continue to stare at a human being. These creatures are truly wild and shy and much prefer to remain hidden. It is possoble however, that this cat could have been a cross with a wildcat, although a feral will take on a much thicker coat and be smaller than a normal domesticated cat due to its more limiting but natural diet. I have a details about wildcats on the website http://arran-cats.com and that refers you to the Scottish Wildcat website where you can find out further details. True feral cats will eb smaller and will look in better condition than a domesticated cat that has been abandoned or lost and is now eeking a living off the land. The latter will be more likely to take notice of humans as it has had previous human contact. True ferals however, like its cousin the wildcat, will treat humans in the same way preferring to remain unseen/hidden.
Please do drop us an email for every siting of a feral or ‘wildcat’ as we are also trying to keep a record of where Arran Cats are located across the island. Where feasible we can arrange a trap, neuter and return for ferals. Again I provide details about ferals on the website which I hope may be helpful to read to understand this creature a little better.
Linda Hartley
Cats Protection