Ghost cat couple cop flak

GRETA CLEARY/ Taranaki Daily News

SPOOKED: Ross and Donna Sowerby say they don't believe in ghosts but want to figure out what the fuzzy orange ball is that appeared in footage caught on a security camera.

The ghost cat of Hawera

Do You Believe What You See?

Relevant offers

The story of Hawera's ghost cat has sparked debate, made its way around the internet and even featured on television, but the pair who captured the footage say they just want answers.

Ross and Donna Sowerby have copped a bit of flak after the story appeared in the Taranaki Daily News last week.

"I think people think we're crazy," Donna said.

And when Television New Zealand's Close-up called on Tuesday, Donna was a bit wary of making a TV appearance.

But she did it because the pair want any help they can get to figure out what the fuzzy orange ball is that appeared in footage caught on the webcam they'd set up as a security measure.

Close Up's Mark Sainsbury offered to pass the footage on to "experts" to have a look at the tape.

They have not got any answers yet but Donna is hoping it will at least prove the footage wasn't edited by them.

The couple said they don't believe in ghosts but what they saw on the tape has them stumped.

The only explanation they can come up with is that it was their neighbour's cat, which died after being hit by a car.

The story has been well read on the Stuff website and attracted about 80 comments in the Oddstuff section.

Many have suggested it's a bug or a dust mite on the lens. But the Sowerbys are not convinced.

"It must be an intelligent piece of dust to walk around a puddle," Donna said.

"But people are going to have their say and believe what they want to believe."

If it was dust, Ross said they would have seen it again on the 40-minute video and others made since.

A couple of commenters suggested it was a hoax, while a reflection or a plastic bag were other explanations offered.

Several readers though are convinced it is a ghost cat and some suggested calling a medium.

One pointed out it followed the line of the path and another noticed there was no reflection in the puddle.

A commenter named Cat Medium suggested it was the spirit of a cat called Lizzie from the 1890s.

"Lizzie accompanied her owner Gerald on coal delivery rounds but was tragically killed when she fell under the wheels of a cart on a foggy winter morning."

Ross and Donna are keeping an eye out in case the image appears again and will have to wait and see what answers they get from the experts. But they're not going to call a medium in just yet.

- © Fairfax NZ News