The cougar is not a big cat meaning it is not part of the group of cats called “big cats”. It is also worth mentioning at the same time that:
“the size of this cat is frequently overestimated¹….”
Some Peruvian pumas only weigh around 30 kilograms which is 66 pounds; about the average weight of a nine year old girl. Adult male pumas in Canada weigh 65 to 85 kilograms. Adult males are about 50% heavier than females.
In terms of pure physicality, the puma could be one of the big cats, which are usual considered to be the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar. On average, the puma is larger than the leopard. The big cats have the vocal ability to roar. The puma has small cat vocal abilities and in many ways behaves like a small cat. For example, it can’t roar but does purr.
However, there has been a lot of discussion over whether the puma could be classified as a big cat. As to lineage (part of the evolution of the wild cat species), the puma is ranked alongside the jaguarundi and the cheetah¹.
The argument for placing the puma amongst the small cat species include some small cat anatomical features:
- the shape of the puma’s nose
- the form and structure of the feet
- the shape of the puma’s pupils
- short and wide skull
- short face
From the general public’s viewpoint it is probably fair to say that the cougar looks more like a cheetah than a lion. Both the cheetah and puma have:
- long legs (the puma has particularly long and athletic hind legs)
- small heads relative to body size
- long slender bodies
- characters that have been called retiring and gentle¹.
I would also like to mention that both the cheetah and puma
rarely confront humans¹..
As regards to taxonomy, the puma has its own genus (Puma). A “genus” is a part of the classification process of the species and is in between “family” and “species”. It refers to species of animals that are similar. The classification of animals is in flux.
References:
- Wild Cats Of The World
See a list of articles on the puma on PoC
Yes I see your point – I guess it wasn’t a very good word – I was thinking they were creating their own prototypes for their new version of what they call an Angora. You are right – that wasn’t clear.
@Marc. I don’t think prototype describes the Turkish Angora’s usurper very well. A prototype means an early model, but this cat is far from that. It is an impostor. Thanks for your interest.
Well that sounds like a decent thing to be doing. I really like the angle of the website and it was really refreshing to read about something from it’s true source. They are beautiful cats and I agree that it’s unfair that man made ‘prototypes’ should take any kind of precedence over the true originals. Especially with regard to the fact the the man made breeds are less healthy – often being deaf for example at the cost of achieving the so called ‘orignal long white fur’. Great website, I am glad I clicked on the link 🙂
It is a combined effort with people in Turkey. Some of my cats are portrayed there are mine but mostly are Turkish freeborn cats. I have been battling for years to counter the artificial man-made breeds that are immorally replacing the original natural breeds whilst hijacking the same name and history. I am now getting help and support from various sources.
It doesn’t cross my mind to kill any animal I am frightened of. What does cross my mind is to get away from it and hope it finds it’s own way back to it’s usual and safe environment. No environment is safe for them these days but it’s a relative thing. Killing an animal is what you do if it attacks you and there is no other way out, but even then I don’t own a gun so I would not be the one to do it. I don’t think I could anyway.