THE big cat mystery has surfaced again with a reported sighting from a Barongarook resident.

Connie Whistance saw a black cat in her headlights last Wednesday at 11.30pm as she turned into her driveway.

"I was gobsmacked," she said.

"It was about 6ft (1.8m) away, and I wasn't sure if it was an alien, so I was making my friend describe what he was seeing to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

"I am in no denial. I am 100,000 per cent sure of what I saw."

Ms Whistance said the animal was larger than a labrador, with protruding shoulder blades. Stunned by its presence, she didn't take a photo.

Independent researcher Simon Townsend said Ms Whistance's description was consistent with other sightings in the area.

"I get reports like that on a fairly regular basis," he said. "It appears to be feline and it appears to be black.

"They crop up just about anywhere, but it's by sheer luck these people bump into them."

He said he didn't want to speculate what kind of cat it might be.

"It may be a puma, (but) really, I don't know," he said.

Mr Townsend urged people to report other sightings to him on               0427 101 223