The most reliable way to tell if a woman is a cougar is to ask her directly. Many women are open and honest about their age, so you can simply ask her how old she is. If she is over the age of 40, there’s a good chance that she’s a cougar. You can also look for signs of maturity in her conversations and behavior. Cougars tend to be more confident, self-assured, and experienced than other women their age.