With cats the idea is to look as big and threatening as possible. Pick up children and put them on your shoulders, it gets them off the ground and makes you look bigger. Pick up a stick, shout, look as tough as you can. Bear you do not make eye contact with and look the least threatening as possible. Unfortunately if you encounter a cat during daylight it is likely rabid. Even running in my semirural neighborhood I always carry....
Yes, you want to hold your ground with cats, make noise, and look as big as possible.
On one of my encounters with a cougar at night while hiking to my survey point, I took my backpack off and lifted it above my head and growled. I had my buck knife ready in case it attacked, but it didn't. It just slowly sauntered off. So I continued on my merry way.