Mysterious Black Cat Sightings in NY

I can't verify whether or not this is true but I had heard a few years back that there were a number of panthers in the finger lakes area in NYS. They were being held as pets and either escaped or released due to them being a handful to care for.

It was in the newspaper though I was a lot younger and didn't read/look too much into it, I just remember my mom not allowing me to go outside because she was a bit paranoid.