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• Method 1 of 3: Defend yourself from an aggressive cougar
• Method 2 of 3: Detect the presence of the cougar before attacking
• Method 3 of 3: Avoid an encounter with a cougar

If you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation with a cougar, it is best to be prepared. Especially if you are in an area where these big cats live. This article will give you information on how to defend yourself.

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Method 1 of 3: Defend yourself from an aggressive cougar

1. Recognize the signs of an upcoming attack. If a cougar is less than 25 meters from you and is staring directly at you, it is preparing to attack you. It will lie low to the ground and its tail will swing back and forth.
2. Walk back slowly. You should never run away from a cougar as this activates the hunting instinct to chase its prey and bite the neck. However, recent research has found that standing still puts you at greater risk of fatal injury and death than walking backward slowly, or even running away quickly. Slowly walking backwards has produced the lowest mortality rate.
   • If you choose to run (which is not recommended), look around and make sure you can do a quick, flat sprint. If you have to run on uneven or hilly terrain, the cougar may think you are injured and thus an even better prey.
3. Make some noise. If you decide to stay still, don't do it in silence. Talk very loudly and harshly to the cougar; you can even try to intimidate him by yelling at him. Don't scream or scream like you're scared; but shout very compelling.
4. Make yourself bigger. Stand up straight and extend your arms above your head. Also, loosen your jacket to make yourself look as big and intimidating as possible. If you have small children with you, lift them. (This will make yourself appear taller and protect the child at the same time.) Make your chest large and pull your shoulders back. Do not bend over, the cougar will see this as a sign of weakness.
5. Take a weapon to protect yourself. If you have a walking stick, hunting knife, rocks, or other large weapon to scare the cougar, use it at the time of attack. Pepper spray can also be a good repellent.
   • If the cougar behaves aggressively, throw stones at him; convince him that you could be dangerous.
   • You can also use a shotgun or pistol to shoot the cougar when it attacks you. Do try a warning shot first to scare the cougar before he attacks you.
6. Protect your neck, throat and head. The cougar will likely try to tackle you and then crush your skull or bite your throat. Try to ward off the cougar from your eyes and face it while fighting it off. Do whatever you can to fight him off.
   • An average adult should be able to repel an attack by fighting back, as cougars are quite small. Aim for the head, mouth and eyes.
7. Report the incident. As soon as you can, report the event to the authorities.

Method 2 of 3: Detect the presence of the cougar before attacking

1. Watch for tracks. The best way to avoid a cougar is to leave the area at the first sign of its presence. If you are on a hiking or camping trip, look for traces of the cougar. Its paw print consists of a slightly triangular heel that is surrounded by four toes. The top of the heel will have two bumps and the bottom three. The toes are slightly elongated, they look like elongated ovals; usually you don't see any nail prints.
   • Cougars move much slower than dogs or coyotes, so the tracks will be further apart and directly behind each other. Be careful not to mistake the paw prints for those of a dog or coyote.
2. Watch for feces. This is a clear indication that a cougar is nearby! The excrement consists of broken segments about 1 cm in diameter (or about the size of dog excrement). If you dare to take a closer look, you may also see bones, teeth, and hair from its latest victim.
3. Watch for scratch marks. These are scratches that male cougars leave on tree trunks to indicate their presence and mark their territory. They are usually between 1.5 and 3 meters high on the tree. If cougars are common in the area where you are, this may be a sign that you are on the cougar's favorite path.
   • Cougars aren't the only animals making such markings; bears often make similar patterns, but larger pieces of bark will be missing. Wapiti sometimes scrape their antlers against trees, but this creates smaller, more horizontal marks.
4. Respect the cougar's personal space. If you see a cougar in the distance (more than 100 meters away), don't go there. Especially if he moves away from you. If you have kids with you, don't let them go after the cougar. Unlike lions or other big cats, cougars are not socialized with groups of people; they are therefore much more likely to ignore you than attack you.

Method 3 of 3: Avoid an encounter with a cougar

1. Hike and camp in groups. Cougars are solitary creatures, they do not hunt in groups. So if you are camping or hiking with a group of people, a cougar attack is much less likely than if you are alone.
2. Avoid walking at sunrise and sunset. Cougars are most active between sunset and sunrise; they see better at night and like to use this advantage while hunting. If you are in an area where cougars are known to exist, do not go walking alone at night, early morning or early evening.
3. Make your enclosure resistant to deer. Cougars love venison, so it is good to repel deer in areas where cougars live. Deer love to eat vegetation such as roses, chrysanthemums and berries, so don't plant these things or keep them screened. Installing outdoor lighting and automatic sprinklers will also help repel deer and cougars.
4. Keep your pets indoors. Generally, a cougar will prefer to eat deer, wapiti or porcupine, but if food is scarce they will also attack livestock and pets. Make sure to keep dogs and cats indoors or on a leash outside so they won't get the attention of a cougar. Livestock should be kept within a fence or enclosed area (shed or stable) for protection.