A Garda helicopter was tonight carrying out a search over County Monaghan for a large black cat.
The wild animal was sighted earlier close to the Tully housing estate, outside Monaghan town and filmed by one local man.
A Garda helicopter with thermal imaging equipment was flying over the Monaghan area in an attempt to locate the cat.
The Army has provided a trained marksman from the Monaghan barracks.
There have been irregular sightings of the black cat in the Newbliss area in West Monaghan for several months.
Last week, the puma-like cat attacked a herd of calves on two successive nights and killed one.
It is also suspected of killing a goat in the same area over the weekend.
Local Fine Gael Councillor Mr Hugh McElvaney, who owns a pub outside Monaghan town, said locals now suspected there were two cats on the loose.
"There have been sightings in Newbliss in West Monaghan and now in Monaghan town, which is in the North of the county. That's too big of a geographical divide for one cat," he said.
He added that the cat (or cats) was now the talk of the town.
"Where they've come from - that's the burning question. Is it someone who's been raising them at home from years? No circus has admitted that any cats have escaped either."
PA