So what are they ? We know now from countless sightings over the years  that the most likely candidates for Sussex are,  Puma [mountain lion ] and Leopard [black panther]. These are the two most seen or described animals. That is not to say that the animals seen are Puma or Leopard only that these are the descriptions that best fit the picture that witnesses are trying to describe. Other cats such as Lynx and Jaguar type cats have also been described.  How long have they been here ? No one really knows, many people have put forward theories as to their origins but of course delving into that aspect of things seems arbitrary when we still dont have conclusive proof of their existence in the first place. BCIB  trys to shed light on the origins of the big cats throughout Britain. For examples of the type of cat most seen or described in Sussex go to the Photo Gallery.