I have a black panther but he is quite tame and only weighs 18 pounds. He and his sister came from Cat Rescue.

If this is a true story then I sincerely hope that the woman finds her dog healthy and wiser. Our wonderful cat was carried off by a mountain lion at our home in California and I wouldn't want that to happen to the pets of anyone else.

Only if Hank Haney is Cherokee. Sequoyah Schools ? Cherokee Nation ? Eatern Oklahoma Tribal Schools ? EOTS ? Eastern Oklahoma Tribal Schools Facilities Management Program ? It is a wonder what people put on their Facebook pages as well as what is on Facebook.

I do hope this woman's dog shows up alive. My dog Sport would chase rabbits and the like outside in the backyard area but I would try to keep him on leash if I had had a recent sighting of a coyote, duck, possum, or feral cat. I have to keep Beau on leash at all times outside because he chases everything that moves which is not made of metal-- squirrels, bugs, birds, ducks, cats, rabbits, dogs, etc.

That's called prey drive, and some dogs have a higher degree of it than others. Our second golden's prey drive is much higher than our first golden's, even though the breed's drive is not real prominent. He would turn and try to chase after a jogger. I'm sure he would've been a car chaser if left unleashed. I always keep him on a leash for that reason (and the fact that he is totally traffic stupid...)

I hope the little dog comes back.

Black Panther seen on Buena Vista...Near Glenview
 

Yes, on the evening you discussed, I was on my way home from work at around 11:15pm via Buena Vista Blvd. when to my disbelief a most beautiful Black Panther loped in front of my car. In awe I slowed to see if I could catch another glimpse. However, he was not in my sight. My first thought was to notify police; as I understand the threat this cat could cause in a residential neighborhood. Consequently,when I reached the light at 466 there was "community watch" man in his car with the window down. So I stopped and reported what I saw and asked him if there were panthers in the area--he had not heard that there were; but he said there were about 2-3 bobcats in the area. I asked my husband if it could have been a panther. He did not believe that was what I saw either. It was the most beautiful large black feline I have every seen outside a zoo. I know what I saw. I am so sorry for the womans dog. That was my first fear..that small animals could be endangered. I hope the word gets out, and other pets do not encounter this beautiful creature. I googled Black Panthers in the Villages and came across this post. I think we all need more information. Take care out there.

If it were black, it was not a panther. The only big cats in the Western Hemisphere that are black are jaguars, and it defies logic that a jaguar was seen in The Villages, but I suppose it is possible. There are a few confirmed reports of black bob cats, which are twenty pounders give or take a few pounds.

Most likely a Florida Panther

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

This color phase is unusual. However, there has never been a black or melanistic panther, cougar, or mountain lion documented in the wild or in captivity.

Thank you for the correction. It was definitely a Black cat of some sort. But this cat was much larger than 20 lbs. So I am going to look up Black Jaquars. It was a beautiful animal. I hope it makes its way to a wild area, and not prey on pets in the middle of the night.

I hope it makes its way out of The Villages before somebody reports it as a threat and gets it killed.

The more I am discussing this, it seems the only correct identification is a rare black jaguar.

I had an experience while driving through the Ocala Park. I saw a large black animal that was crossing the road in front of my car. It was as large as a German Shepard but it had a sleek black coat ,longish tail and a feline slink walk to it.I barely made out its head as it was heading into bushes. The quick glance that I had was of pointy ears. My first thought was some kind of wild panther but did not think they were black here in Florida. After reading all the above post I now think maybe I did see an elusive wild cat.

I was expecting to see something from Victoria's secret.

Is there a cougarundie?

Cool link--

PantherNet

saw black panther in dunes on Marco in May
 

saw road signs leading into to Marco "panther crossing"...they were right!