By Tim Binnall
A man roaming around a British town dressed as and behaving like a cat has become a sensation after the faux feline was subsequently encountered in multiple neighboring communities. The case of the curious cosplayer first made headlines earlier this month when several people in the town of Wallasey came forward with tales of running into the peculiar individual who wears a black panther costume and purrs when he happens upon unsuspecting strangers. In the days that followed, the 'cat' reportedly began popping up in other communities throughout the metropolitan borough of Wirral, sparking something of a frenzy surrounding the weird mystery.
Now known as the 'Wirral Cat Man,' the faux feline has inspired the creation of a 2,000-member strong Facebook group wherein residents of the area share sightings and offer theories as to what his motivation might be. Similar to those who initially encountered the man in Wallasey, more recent witnesses also report being baffled and unsettled by the bizarre experience. One such individual recounted "sitting in my car, minding my own business" when someone suddenly started banging on the window. When the witness turned their attention to the nuisance, they saw "a silhouetted figure saying ‘meow’ repeatedly." The stranger was, as one has likely surmised, dressed in the now-trademark costume of the Wirral Cat Man.
That account was echoed by another resident who snapped a photo of the picturesque Leasowe Bay and noticed an unusual form in the image. Turning on their cell phone light, the witness was stunned by what they saw in front of them. "The 'Cat Man' sat there staring right at me," they recalled, "I was absolutely shaken." The region has become so captivated by the prowling 'panther' that many people have been seeking out the stranger by visiting locations where he has been seen in the hopes of having a sighting of their own. "The whole of the Wirral has gone mad," one resident marveled at the mania that has arisen around the Cat Man, whose identity and motivation remain a mystery.