Ma On Shan 'tiger' May Just Be Leopard Cat: Hikers

A couple who sounded the alarm after spotting what they thought was a tiger in the hills when hiking in Ma On Shan on Tuesday morning now say it may instead have been a leopard cat – a small wild cat similar in size to domestic housecats.

Police, firefighters and officers from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department searched the area, after the couple said they saw a yellow animal that was about three feet long and two feet tall, and which resembled a tiger.

The couple were sent to hospital suffering from shock.

Police later found a picture of a leopard cat online and showed it to the couple, and they agreed that it looks like the animal they saw.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department’s website said leopard cats can occasionally be found in the countryside in Hong Kong.

Kadoorie Farm website says leopard cats are rarely spotted as they are nocturnal animals.