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[RC] cougars - Dawn Simas
Charlene's jacket suggestion is also a good one. I do show people how to use this in my talks. This would be used to thwart an attack *before* it has happened. The weapons are still recommened IMO because most often you will not see it coming.
Cats are ambush hunters and generally do not pounce unless they know it's a sure thing and the prey was unsuspecting. The exception to this is to attack you out of defense if they feel they have no option to defend themselves (not offensively as in hunting) when they've been seen. So, be sure that you don't *cause* an attack by confronting a cat that you see! Just avoid it and keep riding. Odds are the only one you will have to *deal* with is the one on your back and never saw. Knife in a holster or pepper spray is better than nothing at all, but fists work too! Stuff one down the cats throat for a gag reflex if you can, so that they will drop you. Poke your fingers in their eyes. Do a "tittie-twister" anywhere on the skin you can grab if that's all you can do in the panic. Almost every survived attack did not see it coming. Generally, any pain you can cause the cat will put enough doubt in its mind to abandon this strange prey and not risk injury (when you are a
solitary hunter, injury can mean sure death of starvation before you heal). Especially if there is abundant deer. The only reason they probably pounced is because of a great opportunity to hone their skill, not worth dying for in their mind.
:) Dawn
Ms. Dawn Simas
Director - Wild About Cats
Wild Feline Conservation, Education, and Rescue
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