Wildcat attacks are a sad sight
WHEN the first “wildcats” were introduced to the village on Newtonmore, they became an overnight success with locals and visitors alike, with folk of all ages rising to the treasure hunt-style challenge to track them all down in their various locations.
Over the years the number of these fibreglass moggies has grown on what has been dubbed the Wildcat Experience, a project which rides on the back of one of the Highlands most iconic and elusive creatures.
As a community project the Wildcat Experience has been a resounding success with the model cats constructed, decorated and named by local residents, community groups and Newtonmore school children.
Such has been the success of the unique experience that the number of wildcats lurking in the streets and gardens and wooded areas of the village has grown to 110 – at least it had until last Friday when there was a nasty shock in store for those who had taken part in the project.
Four of the model cats, it was discovered, had been moved from their “pitches” and one was totally destroyed and found smashed, along with the concrete plinth on which it stood. Sadly, the head of the model has not yet been found.
Newtonmore is a delightful village with a caring community who take a pride in what they do and aim to achieve, and for some mindless people to carry out such a wanton act of vandalism beggars belief.
Maybe it started out as a piece of harmless, high-spirited fun, but that is not the way it has ended up. It has caused upset and grief throughout the community, not least to the many youngsters who took a pride in building the models and then seeing their cats put on display for all to enjoy.
The Wildcat Centre Visitor Book is testament to the popularity of the project and is full of comments singing its praises, so for something like this to occur is truly awful.
Perhaps those responsible for such misplaced activity are by now far removed from the scene – or perhaps not.
The call has gone out to members of the community who may know anything of the incident to get in touch with the police or the organisers of the Wildcat Experience.
If the perpetrators are found to be locals and brought to book for their misdemeanours, then they can certainly rest assured they will not be top of the pops with those who share the community in which they live.
