Monday, August 4, 2008

El gato grande

Rumors have been swirling this summer about a cougar roaming the scrubby woods around the University of Maryland campus in College Park, Md. The Washington Post today provided further details:

Authorities have apparently tracked down the animal that prompted reports of cougar sightings at the University of Maryland. Or at least, they came close. They managed to snap pictures Friday of an unidentified feline that, while not quite a cougar, seemed far larger than a standard house cat ...

In its size and markings, the safety department said, the mystery cat appeared to be consistent with the Savannah cat, which it described as a hybrid of a domestic short hair and a larger African feline, known as a Serval. According to a statement from the safety department, Savannahs can weigh as much as 35 pounds, and can be much bigger than house cats. Savannahs, the department said, have been called the Great Danes of the cat world ...

As of last night, the Savannah, if that is truly what it is, remained at large.

We at TOSW were initially skeptical of the cat's existence, as more than two-thirds of the sightings were reported by a shitfaced Gary Williams calling from his chauffeur's cell phone. But The Post's investigation renewed our interest, and we have now obtained an exclusive photograph of the cat, which is not actually a Serval/Savannah/whatever). The cat's name is actually "Princess Chunky" and he is shown here with his proud owner:

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