The Ball-Tailed Cat, or Felis caudaglobosa, is an elusive cryptid that is said to live in the forests of Oregon and Pennsylvania. It is featured in lumberjack folklore and it is believed that it is very aggressive towards humans with many lumberjacks having been attacked by it.
| Cryptid Name: | Ball-tailed Cat |
| Location: | Harney County, Oregon / Sullivan County, Pennsylvania |
| Category: | Folklore Cryptid |
| Description: | Resembles a wildcat with a hard, heavy, bony ball on the end of its tail. |
| Size: | Similar to a wildcat. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Aggressive; Excellent climber; Stealthy |
| Diet: | Unknown. |
| Habitat/Environment: | Forested regions, especially in trees. |
| Evidence: | Limited, anecdotal accounts and folklore. |
| Sightings and Encounters: | Few reported sightings, mostly in Harney County and Sullivan County. |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Skeptics question its existence due to lack of scientific evidence. |
What Does The Ball-Tailed Cat Look Like?
The Ball-Tailded Cat is described as being about the size of a wildcat. It looks quite similar to a mountain lion with the exception that it has a very long tail with a hard bony ball at the end of it.
The Ball-Tailed Cat Legend
The legend of the Ball-Tailed Cat is found in Henry Tryon’s book called, “Fearsome Critters” where he collected the stories and legends of the animals found in North American lumberjack folklore.
In the early days, this feline undoubtedly enjoyed a much wider circulation than at present. Recent surveys indicate that it is now pretty well confined to Harney County, Oregon, and Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. A fair-sized animal of about the dimensions of a wildcat, but with a far more aggressive disposition.
Its chief physical characteristic is a hard, heavy, bony ball on the end of its tail. The feet are clawed as with all true cats, making it an excellent climber; and this species has the stealthy habit of lying out on a limb, and when the unsuspecting lumberjack passes beneath, the Cat drops on its victim and pounds him to death with the ball. In the rutting season, the male uses this instrument to call the female by drumming on a hollow log.
This species has occasioned much discussion and peppery argument. It has often been confused with both the Silver Cat and the Dingmaul. A careful study of the equipment and habits of the three species shows plainly that they are by no means the same. It is quite possible that they are all distantly related; perhaps the Ball-tailed boy is a less highly developed variant of the same phylum.
Fearsome Critters
Source: Fearsome Critters
Similar Cryptids
- Splinter Cat – Oregan
- Cactus Cat – Southwestern United States
- Slide-Rock Bolter (Mountain Whale)- Colorado
- The Hodag – Wisconsin
- The Squonk – Pennsylvania
