Bobtail like cats in the Pibara region

Not exactly cat like, but could they be Mulgaras Alby?

Alby,

I think someone's trying to pull YOUR tail off :)

What are "traditional cat type bandings on their flanks" ? Do they have any photographic evidence?

Regards

Ill have what your smoking :)
Youve described a lynx.
highly endangered northern hemisphere cats
- they do not live in Australia nor have they been introduced

The Manx has a stubby tail or no tail at all it's a domestic cat.

Many Asian cats have bobbed or incomplete tails due to genetic defects. In fact MOST stray cats in Kuala Lumpur( that I saw in 1981-84) had incomplete tails.

I have also seen cats in Asia with 6 toes . They can climb well.

Seeing that DNA records show that Northern Australia wild cats descended from Asian cats , it is quite probable that some may not have complete tails.


Regards Philip A

I wouldn't discount anything seen in the bush these days.
A few years ago we were stopped on a track in the high country near the NSW/Vic border repairing a tailshaft on a 4wd when a pack of a half a dozen or so wild dogs came around a corner about 50 yards away, they were an obvious mix of domestic and dingo's due to colouring and features. The funny thing was that they all had no tails or very short stumps of about 50mm long. They weren't afraid of us and one of the larger ones actually approached closer and bared its teeth and growled, they stood looking at us for quite a while before diverting off the track uphill and around us before dropping back on the track and continuing on. As we were a long way from any residences and "civilisation" as such they were obviously wild and breeding with no tails!
We've also seen large feral cats outback over the years with pronounced "tiger" stripes across their back which also appeared to want to "have a go" rather than slink away especially when confronted by a kid rather than an adult.

This photo taken at Coopers Creek near windorah.

Alby
I have not seen a cat alive but have seen it's scull at Mornington in the Kimberley, on display at the ranger's office. Chatted with ranger also. They are definitely bigger, indeed the ranger expressed his respect of the adaptability and the physical changes in the cats compared to the domestic cats.
CJ

Large Australian Cats

I don't doubt that there are many varied and unusual big cats/dogs roaming the wild. Just never seems to be a photo of any of them..

Hi Alby,
In answer to qn, yes I have on my own trips, but not on my former military travels in Pilbara. Agree they're elusive , saw one on 2 separate occasions: Burkett rd ( look in Exmouth area north of Minilya) and in NPk between Kalbarri and NWC Hwy ( not quite the Pilbara) . both times as animal crossed rd in daylight. not enough time to fully describe it but definitely large scrub cat. Saw a few road kills that were cat like on my recent big trip to ES and return. As most people know, cats general nocturnal hunters, thus seeing them is rare.
In my army days did a fair bit of patrolling during annual ARES exercises in very remote areas of Pilbara and at night. cant say I saw any then ( 1980-90's) . mind you, the sight and sound of us trudging around in the bush...
Google: 'volunteers/rangers/army shooting feral cats in national parks' as search terms.
You will also find several references to types of cats and plans for control - they're causing effects on native animals. you may identify your cat that way. In regard to "not found here" ,new things constantly showing up here that weren't here before.
look at Quarantine, Agriculture Dept and NPark web sites and under 'ferals' .
MG