Making “friendly” cat noises at the mountain lion? I wonder how they’d react to purring sounds. It seems a bit counter-intuitive, but I believe I read they are the largest cats that purr.
I have not been really concerned until reading that people have been killed by sixty pound cats. By my instincts they seemed undersized and extremely shy, but maybe I under appreciate what I am dealing with:
http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html#barbara
Maybe these sixty pounders pack more of a threat than I thought. I’ve just refused to believe I can be harmed by a sixty to one hundred pound cat. Actually, my attitude has been that I’ve been regretting not seeing more of them as the sightings are so rare.
No, the “friendly” cat thing is “don’t imitate a cat’s noises unless you know the cat nearby is friendly”.
Pound for pound, if you exclude the venomous animals, a feline is *the* most deadly animal type in combat. Six ends, five are pointy and sharp. The only time humans win against a 60-100lb or larger cat is when the humans have weapons. Bare handed, we’re FOOD.
FYI, humans have been taken down and killed by ~12 pound *housecats*. Do NOT underestimate their bigger cousins, the cougar.
=8-O
Later, when he was mature, they kept him in a cage. He was only fed cold chicken, because they didn't want him to get the taste of warm meat (ie, people).
One day my friend was in the cage to feed him and slipped and fell. The cat was on him in a heartbeat and badly hurt him before he could beat him back and get out of the cage. He immediately got his pistol and killed the cat, then he left for the hospital.
That is why I recognized the “chuff” greeting sound, and it is also why I am *not* pleased to have one in my area. Don't ever trust them to be “friendly”. Think “lunch”... as in...*you* are lunch.