One of the lesser known soft toys in the wild cat family are cougar stuffed animals. While lions and tigers get all the attention simply because they are more widely known, there is something to be said for the elusive cougar. Like lion and tiger plush, cougar stuffed animals are just as lovely and just as snuggable.
Cougars are knows by many names besides cougar including: mountain lion, puma and panther. No matter what you choose to call it, it remains the same cat. Cougars came to be known by so many names because people in different countries referred to them in different ways. In North and South America, early Spanish explorers called it leon which means lion and gato monte which means cat of the mountain today's popular term mountain lion is derived from this. The name Puma comes from the language of the Incas which is what they called cougars. It is possible that the world cougar came from the word cuguacuarana which is of old South American Indian origin and eventually went on to be shortened to cuguar (and was then spelled differently). Typically solid colored cats are called panther's so this name was applied both pumas and black jaguars. Each of the cougars 'other' names is correct, but puma is the one most often used by scientists.
In Southern California, cougars are referred to as mountain lions. They are a solitary cat most of the time except when they breed and when they have cubs. They live in large home ranges which can be anywhere from 30 to 125 square miles. It is conceivable that some cougars will share parts of their range and as is the case, they will occasionally come into contact with one another. A home range is the place in which a cougar spends the majority of its time both living and hunting. When bad weather is in the area, cougars/mountain lions will take cover in caves, rocky crevices and in thick brush. A specific den is reserved by mother's for her cubs which is the place in which she will give birth and raise the cubs to about six months of age, at which time, they are old enough to leave the den and hunt.
Cougars are known for their powerful hind legs which gives them tremendous jumping ability. Like a cheetah, they have a flexible spine which gives them the added bonus of being able to move around things quickly and change direction very fast. Despite these skills, cougars are known as ambush hunters which means they hide from their prey and then surprise it with an attack at close range. Depending on where they live, they will dine on raccoons, deer, pigs, hares and squirrels. Larger cats have even been known to take down elk and moose.
If you're unsure of where to purchase a cougar stuffed animal, look no further than online. Online stores have cougar stuffed animals and one is a whopping 21 inches in length and looks amazingly like the real thing. He looks as though he is ready to pounce, which only adds to his life-like quality.
Angeline Hope is a collector of large plush stuffed animals. You can view a selection of large plush stuffed animals including cougar stuffed animal toys at MyBigPlush.
SERVER IP: 46.105.251.42 EPIC MINECRAFT MACHINIMAS: http://youtube.com/user/CawkavFilms http://youtube.com/user/CawkavFilms http://youtube.com/user/CawkavFil...
More Plush Stuffed Animals Articles
