by Kim Doner
The following article would probably be better suited for a Tulsa or OKC
DON’T Pets magazine, but because such a publication doesn’t exist as far as I know, I’m happy the story will run here. After all, I’ve written a ton about wildlife not making good pets, and it should come as no surprise that my opinion extends to “bigger is not better” in such a regard.
I’m talking about cougars.
No, not that kind. Although attractive older women can be dangerous (ahem), their appearance is usually not life threatening.
I’m talking about cougars as in mountain lions, catamounts, pumas, mountain screamers, ghost cats, or panthers. Those enormous, stunning, lithe, and awesome
felines inhabit North America — and have even been documented strolling through Oklahoma every now and then.
I say “strolling” because so far, our state doesn’t have a documented residency of a cougar family, just tourists on their way to better pastures, so to speak. Oklahoma doesn’t have the kind of habitat that mountain lions love — dense cover, rocky terrain, or perhaps superthick swamps. They prefer great cover and no humans; these guys aren’t fond of our species.
Cougars Are Not Sociable
In fact, cougars aren’t all that fond of their own species. As cuddly as they look and with purrs to rival an aged Corvette, mountain lions are a solitary sort. A
female’s typical range is 70 square miles, a male’s closer to 100 square miles — although some can claim as much as 600 square miles as territory. That makes dating a problem, but one with a simple solution: Scream your head off, an ability that female cougars possess to invite prospective partners for a weeklong fun fest. One would think that a solid roar would work better, but the larynx of a cougar doesn’t lend itself to that sound. Although males shriek to warn competitors, it’s the gals with the lungs you would most likely hear in the wilderness.
A couple of months after the hot date, a female give birth to three cubs (the usual number). Crummy fact: Felines often abandon or eat a single offspring. It’s spec
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ulated the reason is because the investment for a cub to manifest independence is long, and the mother doesn’t want to work that hard for only one cub. Considering the challenges ahead for most wild predators, that is harsh but understandable.
Cougar cubs are beauties — buff fuzzy bodies with black spots, strong markings on the face and brows, and blue eyes. The norm for staying with Mom is close to two years. In many cases, siblings part from their mother and then stick together several more months until sexual maturity.
What To Do if You See a Cougar
Once cougars are mature, their capability to hunt and breed is furthered by size and speed. These big cats can weigh as much as 276 pounds (although 80 to 180 is more likely) and can sprint at 50 miles per hour. One would think them to be the scariest things in the forest, but they are highly avoidant of humans.
If a hiker surprises a big cat, the recommended response is opposite to that of discovering a bear: Move children behind you, look the cougar in the eye, and do whatever you can to appear big — open your coat, hold a staff above your head, extend your arms. Then make a lot of noise as you steadily step backward. Do not turn and run. It triggers a cat’s brain to see you
as prey, just like the response kitties have when you dangle a feathery toy in front of them: “Mine!”
The intent is to be so weird that the cougar doesn’t want to mess with you, kind of like becoming that person at the grocery store who sings along (and too loud) with piped music.
So just how dangerous are cougars?
In the past 20 years, cougars have killed five people in the United States. Oddly, these have all been adults, whereas in the previous hundred or so years, nearly all of the 126 attacks were on children — and most survived (the same cannot be said of lightning strikes or beestings). Attacks are usually by juvenile cougars who have been pushed into marginal habitats and cannot find adequate prey. They become hunger crazed (think teenage males) and go after the first moving opportunity, so odds are improved if you fight like crazy when you are the prey.
Cougars Travel through Oklahoma
Here in Oklahoma, many folks share stories of cougar sightings. Of the 77 “for-real” sightings listed with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation since 2002, about 60 came from trail cameras, many of which were of the same cat. A few cougars have been legally killed when they threatened a herd or pet, but generally, sightings show travel through Cimarron County or Osage, Pawnee, Tulsa, and Mayes counties down to Pushmataha and Choctaw counties, heading to Texas.
Again, those cougars are not residents, and many other animals are mistaken for them. If you are convinced that you have indeed seen a mountain lion, look for signs. Paw prints run four to five inches in diameter (bobcat prints are just over two inches). The stride — two steps of length — is 32 to 44 inches when the cougar walks. A sharp hunter will find deep claw marks on trees and most certainly will smell urine wherever cougar territory is marked. Cougars hunt deer if available. They drag the kill off and hide it, returning for meals when needed, so crushed long bones and rotting leftovers would be near.
And of course, cougar poop isn’t nearly as exciting but still gives vital information as to an animal’s hunting success and health.
How You Can Help Cougars
If you are still silently arguing with me that you want a cougar as a pet, you’re in the wrong state. Oklahoma laws forbid licensing for native cats larger than 50 pounds (not that bobcats are so great either), and I bet you haven’t considered the grocery bill, let alone enclosure costs.
The people I know who have kept wildlife have done so responsibly and legally, and they all assure me vacation time is short to nonexistent for them. Any wild animal will need constant, daily, constant, respectful, and constant attention for its entire life with you — just do a little research on the professionals who supply critters for Disney movies. It’s a JOB, not an indulgence, and it might last for 20 years if your partner is a mountain lion.
So where does that leave big-kitty lovers? With hard work and no pay (whoops, that sounds like a wildlife rehabilitator!), but there are things you can do. Creating legal habitats and legitimate sanctuaries to support these animals and their dietary needs, restricting access to the habitats, and enforcing restrictive laws for poachers could be a start.
Then celebrate reports when new feline families thrive in the wild, as they should.
“We’ve received more than 500 sightings in the last two years from 39 Oklahoma counties,” Donnell said. “We’re really excited to have so many outdoor enthusiasts share their Texas horned lizard sightings
with the Wildlife Department. We also feel the public interest in Texas horned lizards has raised awareness and highlighted the importance of native-grass communities.”
