Conspiracy theorists have been given more ammunition after scientists said two Gloucestershire deer, thought to have been savaged by a big cat, were actually eaten by a fox or possibly a dog.
DNA tests were carried out by the University of Warwick on remains of two roe deer discovered on National Trust land near Stroud, Gloucestershire, in January.
The injuries to the neck of one animal were claimed to be proof that elusive big cats are prowling the countryside and fuelled claims that the truth is being systematically covered up.
But forensic analysis ordered by the National Trust found no evidence of cat DNA on the carcass discovered near Woodchester Park or on the remains of the second deer found a few miles away.
"Other than deer, by far the strongest genetic signal we found on the Woodchester Park carcass was from a fox," said Dr Robin Allaby.
"On the second deer carcass, we found canid DNA.
"A more detailed analysis is under way to pin down the canid species but our expectation is that will also be fox DNA."
Big cat sightings have long been the focus of conspiracy theorists who claim officials cover them up along with UFO sightings and alien invasions.
Sarah Hartwell, who compiles an online archive of "cat-related articles" thinks big cats could be on the loose, but dismisses the idea of a cover-up.
"Phenomena such as out of place big cats and UFOs attract conspiracy theorists like flies to a corpse," she writes.
"(They) claim that big cat bodies have been secretly disposed of by mysterious men in vans or that the cats have been shot and secretly buried. There are also publicity seekers who claim to have shot and buried big cats umpteen years ago, but didn't take photos and can't remember where."
But cover-up or not, reports of strange goings-on continue, with suspicious noises in the area where the Gloucestershire deer carcasses were found last month.
Hayley Huntley recently heard what has been described as a puma "howling" at her dog Storm.
"It was like a roar," she told Stroud Life . "I heard it a few weeks ago and it must have been warning Storm off."
That in itself is evidence for David Armstrong, head ranger for the National Trust in Gloucestershire, who believes the strange sightings are here to stay.
"People love a mystery like this and although we haven't found a wild cat, many of our visitors clearly believe there might be something interesting living quietly hidden in Woodchester," he said.
And Sarah Hartwell points out that those convinced there's a cover up will take heart.
"Conspiracy theorists have one unassailable argument," she explains. "Every claim that there is no evidence to back up the conspiracy claim is seen as another part of the (non-existent) conspiracy."
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