It is called the mountain lion or the cougar. The mammal with the widest distribution of any in the Western Hemisphere was once found coast to coast but since 1900, it has become almost extinct east of the Mississippi, except in a few pockets such as the Florida everglades. In the west, it hides away in the mountains, preying on elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and smaller game. Occasionally, it attacks cattle and man has retaliated. Bounties were offered as late as 1950.

The largest of the lesser cats, the cougar, often incorrectly called a panther (a panther is a leopard), is a large and powerful cat with a graceful and narrow body and exceptionally strong legs. It is the champion jumper among cats, able to execute a 30 ft. standing broad jump or an 18 ft. jump straight up the face of a cliff. Its head is small, with small rounded ears. Its has a distinctive call midway between a cough and a snarl. Despite its size, it is a lesser cat and cannot roar. Its coat is a uniform tawny color with lighter under- parts and white on the chin and throat. It sports a white moustache.

It is strongly territorial, claiming an exceptionally wide range, and is solitary even by cat standards, avoiding its own kind except to mate. It hunts by day, primarily from the ground but occasionally from high rocks, low cliffs, or trees, and seeks deer, sheep, goats, peccary, capybara and other similarly-sized game. It will occasionally stalk livestock when other prey is scarce. It avoids humans and their settlements and farms when establishing its territory, but is not shy about contact when a human moves into an already established territory. It is intensely curious about everything in its range, and has been known to enter houses on occasion, even while occupied.

An exceptionally gentle cat for one so large, the cougar is easily tamed, especially when taken as a cub, and does well in captivity.