IF the "sightings" were at night-fall or later, I do NOT doubt that the "witnesses" BELIEVED that what they saw was "black" or at least "dark-colored" - You eyes play tricks on you at nightfall & after dark.
It's also POSSIBLE (but unlikely) that they saw an escaped "exotic pet". - I'm always "fascinated" that any THINKING adult would try to make a pet out of a lion, tiger, puma, leopard, bear, oselot or even a bobcat but some "loons" certainly try to tame a BIG CAT. (Cheetahs are the ONE exception, as "rich people for well over 2,000 years, going back to the Egyptian Nobles have "tamed" cheetahs. = Cleopatra had a PAIR of female cheetahs, that she raised from kittens, for "bed fellows".)
