Netflix's notorious cat expert, Carol Baskin, has urged Britons not to run if they happen to come face-to-face with the big cat.

The animal rights activist also maintained that it was 'very likely' that the Beast of Smallthorne is in fact a black leopard.

This comes shortly after documentary makers discover the 'clearest photo ever' of the mysterious beast.

The CEO of Big Cat Rescue skyrocketed to infamy after she was featured on Netflix's hit-show Tiger King.

Baskin, 61, was famously accused by Tiger King, of murdering her ex-husband Jack 'Don' Lewis by Joe Exotic.

Lewis mysteriously disappeared in 1997, but Baskin referred to a Homeland Security document which supposedly proved he was alive in Costa Rica and her innocence.

Speaking with Jeremy Kyle Live, Baskin stressed that whilst the mysterious beast will have plenty of prey it's important not to flee if you find yourself in it's presence.

Tiger King star, Carole Baskin said she thinks the Beast of Smallthorne (pictured) is 'very likely' a black leopard. Pictured: image of what documentary makers claim is the ‘clearest ever’ photo of a big cat prowling the British countryside

Carole Baskin (pictured) also warned Brits not to run if they find themselves in the presence of a black leopard.

She said: 'If you were to find yourself face to face with a cat, don’t run, because then you're going to look like prey.

'So you should try to make yourself look as big as possible.'

The Tiger King star shared that when she approaches one of her big cats she will take a step in their direction to assert dominance.

Baskin added: 'Even though they’re so much bigger and stronger than I am, they must think there’s something wrong with me for doing that and they’ll kind of like, back off.'

However, the big cat activist strongly advised against doing this if you run into any big cat, including the assumed black leopard.

Discussing her reasoning on why she believes the animal featured in the archived image taken in Smallthorne, Staffordshire is probably a black leopard, Baskin stated:

'I’ve worked with big cats for the past 40 years and the smartest cats bar none are the leopards and the black leopards just disappear into the landscape.

'By the time you get your camera up, they’re gone. They can be right in front of you and you wouldn’t even know they were there.'

Baskin did put the mind of pet-owners to rest, revealing there was no need for them to worry.

The animal rights activist stated pet owners should not worry as a 'yappy little dog' will be more trouble than it's worth for a big cat. Pictured: A large muscular black cat lying in long grass in Smallthorne, Staffordshire

She said: 'No leopard wants to get into it with a house cat because they recognise that’s going to be a fight.

'They don’t want some yappy little dog because that’s more trouble than they need.'

Baskin also remarked that the UK was '50 years smarter' than the US, as the Dangerous Animals Act was brought into law on the island in 1976.

Baskin explained: 'We just passed ours last December so finally its illegal to own big cats but people will still break the law.'

She explained they get 'all kinds' of reports on loose black leopards in the USA, adding: 'Once those cats get to be adults, they can’t handle them any more.

'And if they’re close to them, if they raised them, they bottle raise them, they don’t want to kill them, they don’t want to admit they broke the law and so they just turn them loose.'