The Terrifying Ray Jones Cat Man Encounter: Bipedal Panther Cryptid Investigation

Written By Ijaz Malik

Reports of encounters with bipedal panther-like creatures have appeared in various parts of the world since the early 1960s. These beings stand out from other mysterious animal sightings due to their upright movement and often aggressive behavior, leaving many witnesses alarmed and deeply unsettled. While not as frequently reported as accounts involving other cryptids, the detailed recollections of these interactions highlight ongoing questions about their origins and purpose.

Notable cases, such as Ray Jones's 1998 confrontation in Kansas and earlier historical sightings, present consistent patterns of fear and disbelief among both witnesses and responding authorities. These reports are often met with skepticism, but similarities between different testimonies suggest a recurring phenomenon that invites further investigation.

Key Takeaways

Summary of Bipedal Panther Encounters

Reports from Various Regions

Sightings of upright panther-like animals have been described in different locations, including the Midwest and other parts of North America. Accounts from Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, and California each detail witnesses observing large, dark feline creatures that move and sometimes attack while standing on two legs.

Noteworthy examples include a retired man in Kansas who was confronted at his farm by a creature matching the description, a driver in Illinois who suffered an attack on a deserted road, and campers in California who encountered a pair of unusual cat-like beings. Despite variations in exact appearance and context, these stories share core elements of fear, shock, and unusual feline behavior not typical of known wildlife.

Unique Physical Features and Actions

Witnesses often emphasize specific physical and behavioral traits:

  • Height and Build: Described as tall as an average adult human, heavily muscled, and upright on hind legs.

  • Appearance: Coats are usually reported as slick, shiny black or extremely dark. Some accounts mention glowing greenish or yellow eyes, short wiry fur, and visible tails.

  • Aggression: Aggressive behavior is common, with cats attacking or threatening both people and animals. For example, attacks have involved pressing down on victims’ chests, clawing, or smashing car windows.

  • Movement: The ability to both stand and run bipedally is a recurring detail, with creatures sometimes shifting back to all fours before leaving the area at high speed.

Creature Encounter Details:

  • Height

    • Description: Comparable to or above 5'11"

  • Fur

    • Description: Short, black, shiny, sometimes wiry

  • Eyes

    • Description: Glowing greenish or yellow, large

  • Tail

    • Description: Long, shadow visible in certain lighting

  • Aggression

    • Description: Frequent attacks on humans, animals, and cars

  • Locomotion

    • Description: Walks/runs upright; can drop to all fours

These noted characteristics, together with their global report pattern, distinguish bipedal panther encounters from other well-known cryptids.

Memories and Apparitions During Cryptid Encounters

Influence Through Mental Imagery

Witness accounts suggest that during unusual cryptid sightings, particularly those involving upright panther-like beings, the entities may not always appear as they truly are. Instead, some experiences point to the use of projected images—mental visuals or “screen memories”—by these visitors.

These projections could serve multiple purposes:

  • Disguising Actual Features: The real identity or appearance of the being is masked by a more familiar or less alarming form.

  • Modifying Reactions: In some cases, the images seem aimed at calming witnesses, while at other times, they provoke greater fear.

In one notable case, a person described a big cat encounter connected to a past UFO event, leading to suspicions that the sighting was more mental imprint than physical manifestation. This manipulation of perception complicates efforts to classify and study these encounters.

Projection Purposes and Possible Intentions:

  • Calming Image

    • Possible Purpose: Reduce panic, create acceptance

  • Fearful Image

    • Possible Purpose: Intimidate, discourage approach

  • Masking Form

    • Possible Purpose: Conceal true nature or intent

Emotional Impact Triggered by Unexplained Events

Emotional reactions to these cryptid events are often intense and linger long after the incidents. Descriptions from those involved highlight key emotional themes:

  • Sudden Fear: Many witnesses, upon encountering bipedal cat creatures, immediately felt threatened—describing terror and a sense of imminent danger.

  • Lasting Anxiety: Even after the encounter, individuals often remain unsettled, sometimes contacting authorities out of concern for community safety.

Case Highlights:

  • A Kansas man, after being attacked by a large, dark feline standing upright, reported immediate fear and confusion.

  • Other witnesses described their relief at surviving the incident, along with disbelief from authorities who investigated but found no conventional explanations.

  • Common reactions include: rapid pulse, shock, and a need to warn others, confirming the profound psychological effect such encounters impose.

Witness Reactions Checklist:

  • Immediate alarm or dread

  • Physical symptoms (e.g., increased heartbeat)

  • Ongoing distress

  • Urge to notify officials or neighbors

Through these emotional and perceptual mechanisms, cryptid encounters consistently leave a deep impression on those involved, regardless of whether the event has a conventional explanation.

Ray Jones' 1998 Upright Panther Sighting

The Central Kansas Farm and Its Surroundings

Ray Jones retired in 1994 and moved to a sizeable farm in central Kansas. His daily routine included woodworking, tending to a large vegetable garden, and caring for various animals, such as chickens, cows, geese, and two crows named Elsie and Esther. The property provided both a source of income and a quiet lifestyle, with Jones known in the community for entering his wood carvings in local contests.

Location:

  • Central Kansas

  • Multi-acre farmland

  • Surrounded by open fields and animal enclosures

Step-by-Step Description of the Night

In June 1998, while working late in his converted woodshop, Jones was alerted by the frantic cries of his crows. Soon after, his dog Buster and the geese became visibly agitated. He suspected a stray animal was disturbing his livestock and set out with a stick for protection.

Inside the nearly dark henhouse, Jones observed a tall, shadowy figure rise and glare back at him.

  • The figure matched his height (about 5'11")

  • As he confronted it, the creature charged, knocking him to the ground

  • Face-to-face, he saw the open jaws and pointed fangs of what he believed was a black panther

Buster intervened, barking and snapping at the large cat, which then released Jones. He witnessed the animal stand up on its back legs, scanning the area upright before dropping to all fours and sprinting away across the field. Both Jones and his dog escaped without injury, though the experience was frightening.

Key Details:

Creature Observation Summary

  • Height

    • Description: About 5'11", same as Jones

  • Movement

    • Description: Charged, stood upright, then fled

  • Appearance

    • Description: Black, large fangs, panther-like

  • Behavior

Police Follow-Up and Community Reactions

Following the event, Jones immediately contacted the local sheriff's office to report what happened and warn neighbors of a dangerous animal. When officers arrived, they were highly skeptical, suggesting that he may have seen a large feral tomcat instead. They reminded him that neither Black Panthers nor Cougars were known to be present in Kansas at the time.

A deputy visited Jones’s property but showed little concern, laughing off the incident as a case of mistaken identity in poor light. Despite this response, Jones remained certain that what he encountered was not any ordinary animal; he was convinced it was a panther capable of walking upright. No subsequent sightings or reports of similar creatures were made in that region.

Significant Accounts of Panther Man Encounters

The 1970 Southern Illinois Roadside Incident

On an April evening in 1970, a driver named Mike B. was traveling along a rural road next to the Shawnee National Forest when his car unexpectedly stalled. While investigating the problem, he noticed two greenish, oval-shaped luminous eyes only a short distance away. Within moments, a tall, upright black creature advanced toward him and struck him in the face with its padded forelimbs.

Mike was knocked to the ground with the panther-like figure pinning him and inflicting multiple scratches on his torso and arm. He fought it off by gripping the creature's mouth as it tried to bite him, noticing its yellow fangs and short, wiry fur that resembled steel wool. The attack ended abruptly when a passing truck scared the entity away, causing it to retreat across the road on two legs.

Attack Details:

  • Time

    • Description: Night, April 10, 1970

  • Location

    • Description: Near Shawnee National Forest, Illinois

  • Appearance

    • Description: 6 ft tall, shiny black, upright stance, tail visible

  • Behavior

    • Description: Aggressive, used paws to strike, tried to bite victim

  • Outcome

    • Description: Victim wounded, creature fled when headlights appeared

The 1969 Niles, Michigan Road Attack

A year before the Illinois case, a motorist in Niles, Michigan reported encountering a bipedal, feline entity just off the roadside. When the driver slowed down to get a better look, the creature raced toward the car, striking the windows with its clawed hands. Four sections of the glass shattered as the witness sped away.

The driver also reported that the attacker produced a loud, unnerving squeal. No physical injury occurred, but the car sustained significant damage to its windows.

Key Points:

  • Creature moved on two legs

  • Demonstrated considerable strength

  • Emitted a disturbing, high-pitched cry

The 1964 Marin County Nighttime Encounter

In the summer of 1964, two campers in the rugged area of Marin County, California, heard odd animal sounds near their campsite after dark. They observed two animal forms communicating with each other via chittering noises, with one remaining hidden and the other drawing nearer.

One of the witnesses, Paul C., described the figure as having a muscular body, a head positioned close to the torso, and no visible ears. The features of the creature diverged notably from known wildlife, and its movements reinforced the impression that it was a bipedal feline entity.

Notable Creature Sightings:

  • 1970, Near Shawnee National Forest, IL

    • Key Witnesses: Mike B.

    • Notable Features: Aggressive, bipedal, black, greenish eyes

  • 1969, Niles, Michigan

    • Key Witnesses: Unnamed male driver

    • Notable Features: Attacked vehicle, shattered windows, bipedal

  • 1964, Marin County, California

    • Key Witnesses: Paul C. and companion

    • Notable Features: Muscular, minimal head features, moved upright

Contrasting Reports With Other Mysterious Animal Sightings

Hostility Levels Compared to Other Mystery Creatures

Reports of upright big cat-like beings, such as panther men or bipedal panthers, exhibit a notably higher degree of aggression than is commonly described with other mystery creatures. Witnesses often recount sudden physical confrontations, direct attacks, or outright intimidation. For instance, instead of simply being observed from a distance, individuals have described being knocked down, clawed, or even straddled by these entities.

Creature Types and Encounter Characteristics:

  • Bipedal Cat Beings

    • Frequency of Aggression: Frequent

    • Common Encounter Outcome: Physical attack or close contact

  • Dogman/Wolfman

    • Frequency of Aggression: Less frequent

    • Common Encounter Outcome: Often intimidating, less physical

  • Other Cryptids

    • Frequency of Aggression: Rare

    • Common Encounter Outcome: Observational, minimal contact

People involved in these encounters regularly express relief at surviving, which contrasts with the often less aggressive nature of many other creature reports.

Emotional Effects on Observers

Encounters with these upright big cats leave witnesses with lasting fear and anxiety. Individuals frequently mention being extremely frightened both during and after their experiences. The trauma leads some to immediately report events to authorities, seek community support, or publicly warn others despite skepticism from officials.

Lists of common effects:

  • Heightened sense of vulnerability

  • Persistent unease or fear, especially at night

  • Disrupted routines, avoiding previously normal areas

Witnesses describe lingering psychological discomfort, and in some cases, intense distress long after the initial event. These reactions seem more pronounced with bipedal panther reports than with many other cryptid encounters, which are often unsettling but less directly traumatizing.

Ongoing Mysteries and Theories

Reports of upright big cat sightings share key similarities, yet raise ongoing questions within cryptid research. Witnesses from different regions have described encounters with aggressive, bipedal creatures resembling large panthers, tigers, or cougars. These accounts often stand out from other cryptid reports due to the consistent high level of fear experienced by those involved.

Below is a summary of common features:

  • Central Kansas, 1998

    • Description: Black panther, stood on hind legs

    • Behavior: Highly aggressive

  • Olive Branch, Illinois, 1970

    • Description: Six-foot upright panther, glowing eyes

    • Behavior: Attacked witness

  • Niles, Michigan, 1969

    • Description: Cat-like entity, attacked vehicle

    • Behavior: Loud, disturbing vocalizations

  • Marin County, California, 1964

    • Description: Two muscular, earless cat-like figures

    • Behavior: Chittering communication

Some witnesses suggest these figures may be more than just unknown animals, pointing toward possible connections with unexplained phenomena. For example, some have speculated that sightings are linked to previous UFO encounters or are projections intended to cause fear or confusion.

  • Bipedal movement and human-like posture are noted in multiple incidents.

  • Many witnesses stress that these creatures are physically imposing, distinctly non-domestic, and rarely seen more than once in the same area.

  • Local authorities and investigators often dismiss these encounters as misidentifications, though witnesses remain convinced of what they experienced.

The frequency, spread, and consistent descriptions of these bipedal big cats continue to puzzle researchers, leaving the subject open to further investigation and debate.

Ijaz Malik
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