Expert: 'Panther' spotted in Ohio likely a big house cat

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — An exotic animal expert says people who reported spotting a panther in central Ohio likely instead saw a black house cat.

The Springfield News-Sun reports the Clark County Sheriff’s office has received dozens of calls from citizens reporting black panther sightings, but has yet to see the animal. German Township police officers saw a large cat last week and a resident took photographs.

The newspaper showed those photographs to Outreach for Animals director Tim Harrison, who said it was more likely a house cat in the photo than a panther.

Harrison says when the sun hits a black cat a certain way it creates an illusion that the animal is larger than it actually is.

He says there could be panthers in Ohio as “hundreds have been sold in the state.”