Black cat the size of a Labrador - Cannock Chase sighting

Posted this in a local FB group and got absolutely mauled by skeptics, so I'm bringing it here where people might take it seriously. Two weeks ago, my partner and I were parked at Sherbrook Valley car park on Cannock Chase around 5:30 PM. Overcast, getting dark early (late September).

We saw what I can only describe as a large black cat - bigger than any domestic cat, massive really - walking across the grass about 80 meters away. It had the elongated body of a panther or puma, moved with that distinctive feline stride. My partner swears it made eye contact with us.

I know what people are going to say: 'it was a mangy dog' or 'your eyes were playing tricks.' But I've hunted, I know animals. This was no dog. And Cannock Chase has had reports of similar creatures for decades. Curious if anyone else has seen something similar in that area.

Cannock Chase is absolutely a hotspot for big cat sightings. There's a legitimate theory that escaped exotic pets from the 1970s/80s established a breeding population. Your description fits dozens of historical reports from that exact location. Have you been back since?

I know what people are going to say: 'it was a mangy dog' or 'your eyes were playing tricks.'

The 'British big cat' phenomenon is real. Ministry of Defence has files on this. Cannock Chase, Scottish Highlands, Bodmin - all have active populations. Your sighting is important. Have you contacted a local cryptozoology group?

Did it have a tail? That's usually the tell. Describe the tail more - that'll help identify it.

It did have a tail, yes. Definitely longer than a dog's tail. Whip-like? That's actually what struck me most - the way it moved separately from the body, like a cat's tail not a dog's.