Mystery Cats of the World Revisited

Blue Tigers, King Cheetahs, Black Cougars, Spotted Lions and More Karl PN Shuker

Anomalist Books 2020

Pb, 414pp, £19.95, ISBN 9781949501179

This is an updated and revised edition of Karl Shuker’s 1989 work Mystery Cats of the World: From Blue Tigers to Exmoor Beasts – in his words, a chance to “incorporate exciting and compelling new data on mystery cats.”

Interesting and informative, this is a meticulous look at the world of feline rarities and oddities, illustrated with black and white photographs throughout. Divided by continent, each section examines mystery cats then offers several possible explanations and theories for reported sightings, including unusual felines that are escapees from zoos or collections, survivors from prehistory or simple misidentifications.

For its size, the UK seems to have had more than its fair share of mystery cat sightings; notable cases examined include the infamous Surrey Puma, which attracted much media attention in the early 1960s. Shuker also considers, amongst others, King Cheetahs in Africa, Black Pumas in the Americas and Black Tigers in Asia. Many of the mystery cats mentioned seem to have unusual variations in the colouring or patterning of their fur; there is a useful chart detailing the genetics of cat coloration.

Throughout the book, Shuker’s passion for the subject is clear. He has done much to promote interest in mystery cats, not only within the fortean/ cryptozoological communities but also within the framework of scientific orthodoxy. He raises some interesting points about the knowledge of ancient peoples and the fauna they lived alongside, now sadly lost to us. He also highlights the demise of many felid species due to overkill and ignorance by humans.

This is a good opportunity for us all to learn as much as we can about our felines, mysterious or not, before we lose some of them for good.

★★★★