An expert from Gloucester has suggested that the series of heatwaves experienced across the UK this summer may be responsible for a noticeable rise in ‘big cat’ sightings.
Reports over the past 12 weeks have come from various locations in the South West, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bristol, and Cornwall.
One recent sighting, on 18 August, left a mother in the Ryehill area of Northampton feeling “terrified” when she encountered a large black animal with a long tail-thought by some to resemble a panther-just metres from her home.
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Frank Tunbridge, a Gloucester-based big cat enthusiast who routinely receives such reports, explained that the extreme weather experienced this year appears to have altered the behaviour of these elusive creatures.
“These predators are typically secretive, requiring the right place and time to spot them,” he said. “However, the intense heatwaves and drought conditions have changed their habits, prompting them to come into closer contact with people, especially in the South West and Wales.”
Mr Tunbridge added that the cats have become bolder in their search for water, often venturing further from their usual habitats. He recalled a similar pattern during a previous extended hot spell, when multiple reports surfaced of big cats drinking from garden ponds and cattle troughs, including a notable sighting at Robinswood Hill Country Park.
He further highlighted a historic account of a suspected big cat drinking from a school pond in Gloucestershire during a hot period.
Another factor contributing to the increased sightings, according to Mr Tunbridge, is the UK’s burgeoning deer population, which forms the main prey for these big cats, such as muntjac and roe deer. “Where the deer are, these cats usually follow,” he said. “With higher deer numbers than ever before, the chances of encountering big cats have naturally risen.”
He noted that deer typically drink twice daily, at dusk and dawn, which coincides with most big cat sightings. The cats also prey on small mammals, rabbits, and ground-nesting birds, filling the role of a silent large predator and possibly aiding in controlling the deer population in the absence of wolves and lynx.
However, Rick Minter, host of the podcast Big Cat Conversations, expressed scepticism about the impact of the weather on sighting frequency. “In fact, hotter weather tends to make these cats less likely to appear in open areas; they prefer to remain near cover,” he said. “Most reports occur at dawn, dusk, or night, often when illuminated by car headlights. The hot summers in 2025 and 2026 have not, in my opinion, influenced these sightings.”
He acknowledged that extreme dryness might affect the cats' movement within territories, as they seek out reliable water sources like springs, which also attract deer and offer ambush sites. He mentioned that some cats might use cattle troughs for hydration.
“A gamekeeper in a neighbouring county is monitoring an area after finding both deer and big cat tracks near a spring,” Mr Minter added.
Mr Minter has featured guests on his podcast who claim to have observed big cats in Gloucestershire, including local artist Robin Baker, who reportedly experienced three sightings in the Forest of Dean area.