By way of our continuing effort to bring you timely and oh-so-educational public service announcements, DKG has kindly provided the following information:
There have been one or two recent sightings of a wild cat at the Dog Park that some believe was a mountain lion (also called "cougars"--and not the kind you see at Nordstrom's in search of younger men); others suspect that it was a bobcat, since those certainly have been spotted elsewhere in the neighborhood.
For your edification, and to help stave off boredom and defer imbibing, we present to you a few tips to help distinguish between these two species:
1. Although an exceptionally large adult male bobcat can approach the same size as young female mountain lion, typically bobcats are much smaller in size. Bobcats average from 15 to 30 lbs., mountain lions 75 to 150 lbs. We know this because DKG took his bathroom scales around the subdivision, weighing every wild cat he could find (and kicking the domestic ones for good measure).
2. Bobcats have stripes and spots; mountain lions are a uniform tawny gold color (although, as young cubs, are spotted for camouflage).
3. Bobcats have short, "bobbed" tails (hence the name), rarely more than a few inches long; mountain lions have much longer tails, sometimes nearly half the length of their torsos.
4. Bobcats have tufts of long hair/fur on the tips of their ears (which gives them the illusion of being pointed), and along their checks. Mountain lions have rounded ears and uniformly short fur all over.
5. And finally, bobcats sometimes answer to the beckoning, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty . . . I have some tasty Costco cat treats for you," whereas mountain lions frequently respond to "Please don't munch on my puppy; here is a tasty deer carcass, instead." Both species, however, answer to the business end of a well-aimed 30-30.
To further enhance your viewing experience, here are two short videos presented by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish, complete with warm, cuddly creatures in the wild and soothing mood music:
Both species, while snoozing or waiting to pounce on prey, lie within the canopy of trees. It wouldn't hurt to look up, now and again, while enjoying the new benches at the Dog Park.
This concludes this important public service announcement. We hope it did not reduce you to a catatonic state.
