Felis concolor - linnaeus "Ghostwalker" The spirit of the Cougar chose to take the earth and walk as a spiritual hunter, to teach unconditional leadership, patience and determination- The strengths they represent have a powerful lesson for those that are willing to learn from them- by Nancy Wood Taber Felis concolor is Latin for "the cat of all one color" The classification Puma derives from a name first used by the Incas of Peru. Cougar is a corruption of the native Brazilian Cuguacuarana. In Argentina the puma is called "Amigo del Christiano" American folklore used names Panther, Painter (derived from Panther), Tiger, Screamer, Devil Cat, Indian Devil, Catamount and Ghost Cat. Cherokees used the term "Klandaghi" meaning the lord of the forest. Creeks used the term "Katalgar" meaning greatest of wild hunters. Mountain Lions, Cougars, Pumas, Panthers and Catamounts are all names for this cat. Their tails are half the length of their head and body. Tawny in color, averaging in length between 6 feet 7 1/2 inches to 7 feet 9 inches. Weighing approximately 118 pounds to 184 pounds. These cats can jump from a sitting position, straight up about 20 feet. Cougars are the only large cat that actually purrs. They formerly lived in just about any type of habitat, however, because of continued persecution, they are not common except in remote, thinly populated areas. They are shy in nature and nocturnal by habit. Their main source of food is deer. Although they occasionally graze on grass. Unprovoked attacks on man are far less common than those of the domesticated bull. Unless cornered, the cougar will avoid contact with humans. However, respect and caution is recommended. Although they spend much of their time on the ground, they are adept at climbing trees, and often do so when persued by dogs. Their preferences are rocky canyons, escarpments, rimrocks or dense brush. They normally avoid heavily timbered areas. Cougars seldom use caves as dens. They prefer to use an area under an overhanging ledge, a crevice in a cliff, a cavity in a pile of rocks or under the roots of a tree, a badger burrow, or dense thicket. Cougars are believed to be monogamous, at least for the mating period. The female initiates the courtship and mating act. Gestation for a female cougar is approximately 93 days. They average between 2 to 5 kittens every other year in the wild. After 2 to 3 months they are weaned, however, they may stay with their mother for more than a year. Cougars born in captivity do very well. Their life span is approximately 25 years, and half that in the wild. Each cat has their individual personalities, and can be very affectionate to humans. It is always wise to keep in mind that they will never be domesticated, although they do and can form bonds with their owners. HOME SAFARI GIFTS TOP BACK NEXT