Cougar Identification

The cougar has on overall coat color of tan or tawny, but can vary from reddish, yellowish, or grayish. The belly, undersides, inside of legs, and chin are white or creamy colored. The tip of the tail is black and some black also occurs on the front of the muzzle below the nose. The back of the ears of cougars are solid black or gray in color and do not include white patches as found in lynx and bobcat. Black phases of cougars have not been documented in North American cougars, although the black color phase has been found in South American cougars. The Florida panther is a cougar that lives in southern Florida, but is also tan or reddish brown in color. Young cougars have dark brown spots that last until the cats are about 9 months old, although careful examination of a 1-year old might show some faint spots. The spots are completely gone by the time the cougar is 2 years old.

Cougars can be separated from bobcat and lynx by larger size, tan coat with solid tan color, long rope-like tail, lack of ear tufts, and solid black or gray on the back of ears. Bobcats normally weigh 15 to 50 pounds, and lynx weigh 15 to 30 pounds (the thick fur of lynx makes them look heavier, but large adult male bobcats achieve greater weights than male lynx). Bobcat and lynx often have some spots on their coats, although these spots are sometimes not very visible, and some may look more solid in color. The inside legs of lynx and bobcats have dark spots that are in contrast to bright white fur; cougars don’t have these spots unless it is a young animal, less than 1 year of age. Bobcats and lynx have a bright white patch on the back of the ears that is oval or triangular in appearance; cougars do not possess this patch and have solid colored ears of black or dark gray. Both lynx and bobcat have short tails, being 5-7 inches in size on bobcat and 4 to 5 inches in size on lynx. Both bobtailed cats have pointed ears with ear tufts that are somewhat longer on lynx, but cougars have rounded ears with no ear tufts. Bobcat and lynx also have sideburn cheek whiskers, not found on cougars.

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Cougar Tracks

Tracks Mistaken for a Cougar