Episode 7.11: Phantom Black Cats of Indiana

For more than a century, Hoosiers have reported sightings of enormous, panther-like cats lurking in Indiana's forests and farmlands. Often described as having jet-black fur and glowing red eyes, these mysterious creatures have become part of the state's folklore. Are they simply legends passed down through generations, or could something truly be roaming the shadows of Indiana?

Sources 

Quigley, Mary Ellen, and Rebecca D. Wilhelm. Haunted Dearborn County, Indiana. The History Press, 2023. Chapter 7, “Big Cat of Dearborn County.”

United Press International. “Large, Black Animal Stalks Northern Indiana.” August 29, 1985. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/08/29/Large-black-animal-stalks-northern-Indiana/7149494136000/.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources. “Bobcats.” Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/animals/bobcats/.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources. “Mountain Lion.” Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/animals/mountain-lion/.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources. 2024 Bobcat Status Update. https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/files/wmr/fw-2024-Bobcat-Status-Update.pdf.