Cougars are large, muscular cats. They average 7 feet to 9 feet in total length of which up to a third is tail and weight between 150 and 200 pounds when full grown. An adult cougar is tan colored with black coloration on the sides of its muscles, the backs of the ears, and the tip of the tail. Cougar kittens are mottled with black spots and have ringed tails until they are about 6 months old. Cougars are solitary hunters that feed primarily on white-tailed deer but will also eat smaller game such as opossums, rabbits, mice, and even insects if food supplies are limited.
Cougars are skilled night hunters with excellent eyesight and superb hearing.
They run swiftly, are agile climbers, and can even swim. Rather than simply chasing after their food, cougars prefer stalking their prey at close range, utilizing the element of suprize. At the last moment, a cougar may leap as far as 20 feet or more onto the animals back. Strong jaws and long canine teeth then make it possible for the cougars to kill their prey with one bit to the nape of the neck. After intial feeding a cougar may cover the carcass with leaves or other debris to be saved fro a later meal.