There is a simple reason why mountain lions are called painters. ‘Painter’ is a local American name for the puma (Felis concolor). Many early white settlers to America referred to the puma as the American panther. The word ‘panther‘ was corrupted to ‘painter’. In many rural districts of the mid-western and eastern US this became the usual pronunciation.

The name ‘painter’ for the puma was made famous in 1913 when James Whitcomb Riley wrote: ‘Yes – and painters, prowlin’ ’bout,/ Allus darkest nights. Lay out/ Clost yer cattle. – Great, big red/ Eyes a blazing’ in their head…’

The mountain lion has the most names of all the wild cat species.

When mountain lions in Canada become desensitised to people they are shot dead

It seems extraordinary to me and very insensitive to wildlife conservation and downright unfair that when a mountain lion exhibits ...
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Should ‘mountain lion’ be capitalized?

The conventions on the capitalisation of wild cat names has altered slightly over the years. Currently, 'mountain lion' should not ...
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Video: mountain lion trapped in bathroom escapes through window (broken open by officials)

This is a story about a mountain lion in California which, for me, once again establishes the well-known fact that ...
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Is this cat climbing a fence in Georgetown, Washington D.C. a mountain lion or a domestic tabby?

NBC Washington have questioned whether the cat videoed by a Ring door bell security camera is a mountain lion or ...
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Catastrophe: Florida panther species stricken with ataxia. Deliberate poisoning?

If they can't walk, they can't run. If they can't run they can't hunt. If they can't hunt they can't ...
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Do mountain lions carry prey up trees?

Mountain lions do not carry prey up trees, in answer to the question. After killing prey mountain lions may begin ...
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Need for housing developments in southern California squeezes mountain lion habitat

There is a report in the LA Times that the mountain lions of Southern California are approaching what they describe ...
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Burned habitat forces mountain lions in Santa Barbara to feed on feral cats

Two natural disasters have encouraged the mountain lion to come down off the hills and into the urban areas of ...
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Why is the eastern puma extinct?

The eastern puma is extinct because they were extirpated from the eastern United States by the late 1890s. In other ...
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When do mountain lions leave their mother?

Mountain lions are not normally independent until they are at least a year old. In a study of 1992, Characteristics ...
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Source: Cat World by Dr Desmond Morris.