Feline Mystery

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — A suspicious breed of felines seems to be creeping around Orange Beach, as more reports of a catlike creature come in to City Hall.
Sightings of what appears to be a cross of a Bobcat and feral cat have grown with the opening of the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail.
“We always get a lot of reports of large cats and Bobcats, and we see a lot of Bobcats,” Coastal Resource manager Phillip West said. “But lately we’ve seen and had a couple of reports and even a picture of a long tailed version of a Bobcat that appears to us to be a hybrid.”
Bobcats are characteristically known to have short tails and are larger than a house cat. The creature described has a long tail, is bigger than a domesticated cat, but is smaller than a Bobcat.
West said the production of a mixed species of cat and Bobcat is uncommon and possibly a rare happening.
However, the wide range of sightings has led West to believe there’s a possibility of a litter of these cats roaming in Orange Beach.
He said he spotted one at the head of the trail on Highway 161 and a second report came in from a resident who saw one near the Gulf State Park Golf Course. The distance between the two suggests there is more than one lurking.
Hugh Branyon, Gulf State Park superintendent, said he has seen a great deal of the cat species Jaguarundi — another rare form of feline found on the island.
West explained the city has received calls of Cougars and black Panthers, which are highly uncommon in the area. He said what people are probably seeing is a Jaguarundi. A Jaguarundi is small and lean and can have a grey, red or brown coat. Originating from South America, the cat made a migration through Mexico and into the United States, according to Branyon.
The first recordings of a Jaguarundi on the Gulf Coast came in the 1950s and, because of their nocturnal habits, they haven't been easily found in the last 50 years. “I’ve seen several in the 35 years I’ve been here,” Branyon said. West and Branyon said both the Jaguarundi and the possible hybrid have not posed a threat to the public, and there has been no incidents involving the cats and humans.
West said he sent a picture of the hybrid cat to the Alabama Department of Conservation.
“They were just puzzled,” West said.
The public is encouraged to call in sightings to the city, at 981-6979 or the park at 948-7275.