A large, plain-coated cat of the Americas, also called puma, mountain lion and panther. It can purr, but it can’t roar.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Can be
Attacks on people are very rare. They usually involve a young or starving cougar, or one that has got used to people.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
It varies: active by day, at twilight or at night, depending largely on how many people are around.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inNorth America, South America
HabitatForest, Mountains, Scrub, Desert
ColoursTan
SizeLarge
WeightMales 53–72 kg, females 34–48 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for8–13 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- The widest range of any wild land animal in the Americas, from the Yukon in Canada to the southern Andes.
- What it eats
- Mainly deer; also smaller mammals such as rodents, rabbits and raccoons.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
Holds the record for most names of any animal in English.
Despite its size, it belongs to the same branch of the cat family as the house cat, not to the roaring big cats. It is the largest cat that can purr.
Often confused with
- Lion
Lions are much bigger, live in Africa and India, and have a tufted tail; males have a mane.
Compare side by side - Jaguar
Jaguars are heavily spotted and stockier; an adult cougar has no spots.
Compare side by side
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