Catamounts

The term "catamount" is an archaic name for a large wild cat. It most commonly refers to the cougar, also known as the puma or mountain lion (Puma concolor). Occasionally, it has also been used to describe the lynx, particularly the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). The word itself is derived from the Old French "chase" and "montagne," meaning "mountain hunter." Historically, catamounts were feared predators, and their presence in North America led to numerous stories and legends, though they were often conflated with other large felines.

In North America, the cougar is the most widely distributed large cat. It inhabits a vast range from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes Mountains. Cougars are solitary and elusive animals, and their diet consists primarily of deer, but they will also prey on smaller mammals and birds. Despite their powerful build, they are not typically aggressive towards humans.

The lynx, another animal sometimes called a catamount, is smaller than the cougar and is characterized by its tufted ears, short tail, and large, snowshoe-like paws. The Canada lynx is found in the boreal forests of North America and its population is closely linked to the snowshoe hare, its primary food source. Both cougars and lynx are important parts of their respective ecosystems, playing a role in regulating prey populations. The name catamount is now rarely used in scientific contexts, with cougar and lynx being the preferred terms.