http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/06/22/france.panther.reut/index.html

'Panther' actually a house cat
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) -- The southern French city of Marseille called
off a three-week hunt for a black panther on Tuesday after the animal
sighted by several residents turned out to be a large house cat.

"The 'panther' is just a black house cat -- a very big one though," said a
spokeswoman for the local prefecture, adding the animal was about 24 inches
long and weighed some 22 pounds.

Police deployed dozens of searchers this month after reports that a black
panther was roaming around the nearby Calanques area, popular with tourists
for its creeks, rocks and beaches.

Searchers finally caught up with the animal and identified it as a cat but
were still unable to catch it, the spokeswoman added.