Cougar meanings and symbolism include protection, agility, adaptability, secrecy, beauty, and wealth. The cougar (also referred to as a mountain lion, puma, or panther) is native to the Americas, with a range that spans from the Yukon in Canada all the way to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. As a result, these wild cats are subjects in the mythology of cultures throughout the Americas. In this post, we’ll explore cougar symbolism and meanings, including cougar spiritual meanings, as well as the cougar spirit animal, cougar mythology, and more. This post will also include the symbolism and meanings of the mountain lion, panther, and puma (the alternative names for cougar) and I may use the words interchangeably throughout this post.
Table of Contents
Before we begin, I thought I would mention some of the meanings behind the many names given to this tawny-colored cat.
Are cougars panthers?
While cougars, mountain lions, and pumas are sometimes referred to as panthers, the word “panther” is a general term that can be used to describe leopards, jaguars, cougars, pumas, mountain lions, tigers, and lions. The word “panther” is derived from Latin and it loosely means a hunter’s catch.
What is the meaning of the word cougar?
The word “cougar” is most-likely derived from Indigenous South American words for cougar as they were interpreted by 18th century French and Portuguese explorers. For example, these words include çuçuarana, susuarana (which combines suasu, which means deer, and rana, which means false.)1
The word “puma” is derived from the Inca term for “powerful” as well as Kay Pacha, which loosely translates to “this world” or the “world of the living.”2 (We’ll get into Incan mountain lion mythology more below.) Cougars are also called “catamounts,” which means cat of the mountains.
Here are details on cougar symbols and meanings and what they might mean in your life:
Mountain lions are fiercely protective creatures. When male mountain lions fight for a territory, it is often to the death. Even cougar cubs are ferocious. In fact, wildlife biologists say they are nearly impossible to tame. Furthermore, a mother mountain lion is especially protective of her babies.
You might have seen the viral video by Kyle Burgess, the hiker who had a run-in with a mother mountain lion in Utah. At the very beginning of his video, you can see a cougar cub coming out of the brush and then hiding again. What is more difficult to see right away is the mother mountain lion camouflaged in the road. In this video, you can see how fiercely protective cougars are:
As an archetype for protectiveness, the cougar reminds us that we should never become passive when it comes to protecting those we love and that which we hold dear. This can mean protecting our family and friends or it can extend to our communities and colleagues. It can also mean protecting nature or other causes we care about. In addition, protectiveness can extend to our health, our creative ideas, and our homes.
The cougar spirit animal reminds you to be fierce when it comes to protecting those and that which are important to you.
The mountain is the hiker, trail runner, and rock climber of the animal kingdom. They can easily scale steep rock faces, jump as high as 18 feet (5.5 meters), and leap distances of 40 feet (12 meters).
For these reasons, the cougar is a symbol of agility. They remind us to be quick on our feet – both literally and figuratively. Instead of being rigid, we should strive to be flexible in mind and body. This doesn’t mean being weak – the cougar is anything but weak. It means to be ready to pounce on whatever comes our way – whether it’s challenges or opportunities.
The cougar can live in a variety or environments, from arid deserts to forests to high mountain ranges. And while they’re primary diet is deer, elk, and other ungulates, the cougar will also eat small animals, like rabbits and mice, as well as insects. While the cougar is not as omnivorous as the bear, they demonstrate an impressive ability to adapt.
Thus, the cougar spirit animal is a helpful symbol that reminds us of how important it is to be willing to adapt and try new things. Change is inevitable and resisting change can be worse than embracing it. The cougar adapts to survive and thrive and you can too.
The Native Americans say the mountain lion walks in moccasins that no one can hear. Like the tiger and the alligator, the cougar is an ambush predator. They stalk their prey silently, waiting for the perfect time to attack.
The cougar is also a symbol for the art of camouflage. Cougar cubs have spots for protection in their dens. However, when the mountain lion grows up, their tawny coats help to camouflage them on rocks and other landscapes so they are more successful hunters.
As a symbol of secrecy, the cougar is a reminder of the importance of patience and discretion. After all, we live in a society that values attention-seeking behavior. The cougar reminds us of the advantage of privacy and discretion.
Business people understand the importance of operating in stealth mode before going to market with a product or idea. By the same token, creative people know to keep their ideas under wraps until they are ready for showtime.
The cougar spirit animal reminds you that the best approach can be patience and self-containment even though you might want to pounce.
Known for their ferocity, the cougar is also beautiful. With their golden-green eyes and tawny coats, they simultaneously mesmerize and terrify us. Yet their beauty doesn’t stop at how they look; it’s also in how they move. The cougar maneuvers in their environment with agility, strength, grace/
As a symbol of beauty, the cougar reminds us that beauty goes beyond the superficial. It’s also in how we move, how we conduct ourselves, and the actions we take.
In South America, the Quechua People believe that seeing a puma is a positive omen that will bring good fortune. Thus, the Quechua associate the cougar with wealth.
To the north, the Native Americans learned about good hunting spots from mountain lions. They also say they learned hunting skills from the cougar.
Thus, for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, the mountain lion is a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
In popular culture, the term cougar has also come to symbolize a woman who dates a younger man. Some say the term originated in Canada to describe women in bars who were “on the prowl” to find a mate.
While initially the term was intended to be derogatory, its wide use in popular culture has softened the intended insult to a degree, but not by much. In fact, the way the term is used is disrespectful to both women and mountain lions – just as calling every man who dates a younger woman a “sugar daddy.” Perhaps we can all agree that if two adults are in a consensual relationship it’s their business and we don’t have to try to insult or hurt them with name-calling?
While every Native American tribe has their own set of beliefs and traditions, in general, most tribes revere and fear the mountain lion. However, some tribes have a more negative view while others have a more positive one. For example, the Apache believed the sound of a cougar growling was an evil omen and a harbinger of death. They also associated the cougar with witchcraft.3
A number of Native Americans tribes tell tales of an underwater panther who guarded waterways. The creature was most likely based on an alligator or crocodile, but it’s telling that the tribes described it as a fierce panther. (For the Ojibwe of the northern Midwest U.S. and Canada saw the underwater panther as a lynx spirit animal, whom they called Mishebijiw, which translates to Great Lynx.)4
While the Seminole People spoke of the underwater panther, they, along with the Shawnee, saw the cougar as a powerful medicine animal who brought good luck in hunting.
In fact, many tribes used parts of the mountain lion, including their fur, for various spiritual ceremonies.
For the Shoshone People, the cougar is a sacred animal along with the bobcat, wolf, and fox. In Shoshone tradition, these animals are never to be hunted.
According to Shoshone legends, once a very violent and bloodthirsty tribe invaded their territory. So the Shoshone sought out the help of their medicine man. During a vision quest, the medicine man spoke to the cougar who told him that he, the wolf spirit animal, the fox spirit, and the bobcat would protect the Shoshone People on the grounds if they vowed to never hunt them. Thus, a pact between the Shoshone and these power animals was made.
For the Pueblo tribes of the Southwest, the mountain lion is one of six directional guardians:
The Zuni, Mohave, and Hopi tribes tell stories of a guardian spirit named Toho who takes the form of a mountain lion (or bobcat.) Toho provides protection and good luck in hunting.
The Navajo tell stories of the Changing Woman, who is a fertility goddess and protector of the people. The Changing Woman told the Navajo that cougar would be one of the protectors of the people.5
Cougars are known to yield part of their prey to bears, wolves, and even alligators. The Navajo believed they would also leave part of their prey for the people to eat.
For the Hopi, the cougar is a powerful and sacred being. The Hopi view the mountain lion as the strongest and most fearless hunter as well as a protector of the tribe.6
Most Native American tribes are based around a clan system, which is a community organization that is rooted in the maternal family line. Each clan is associated with a specific animal, including hummingbird clans, bear clans, fox clans, wolf clans, and others. The clan animal serves as a guardian and special protector of the members of the clan. Native American tribes with cougar clans include the Chippewa, Creek, Chickasaw, Caddo, Shawnee, Osage, and Pueblo.7
For the ancient peoples of the Andes, including the Incas, the cougar, or puma, was an attendant of their creator deity Viracocha. As the creator of the Universe, the sun, moon, and stars, Viracocha oversaw the three worlds of the gods, the living, and the dead.8
Viracocha is sometimes depicted with three guardian animals: a condor, a puma, and a serpent. The Incas believed the condor communicated with the gods in the upper world and the middle world, which was the world of humans. Meanwhile, the puma, or cougar, represented the world of humans, which the Incas called Kay Pacha, or the world of the living. Finally, the serpent, or snake, was the guardian of the underworld, or the world of the dead.
The Incas also viewed the puma as a doorway between worlds. They saw the constellation that is known as Geminis as two pumas in the sky. In fact, they call it the Puma Yunta constellation. Furthermore, they said that when solar or lunar eclipses happen, it means one of the pumas is jumping at the sun or moon and taking a bite out of it.9
If a cougar makes themselves known to you in real life or art, literature, or the media, pay attention. There are no coincidences. Your spirit animal serves as a guide to help you on your soul’s journey.
As symbols of protection, agility, wealth, and beauty, the cougar spirit animal reminds you that you have the ability to tap into these attributes. In addition, you have a fierce protector on your side.
If you’re curious about other animals who might be your spirit guides, you can take UniGuide’s spirit animal quiz and read more in my overview post about spirit animals.
As the name implies, a power animal can empower you with their most dynamic traits. So, if you want to transform an area of your life, consider the attributes that your power animal represents. For example, you can summon the cougar power animal when you:
An animal totem encapsulates the protective powers of the animal it represents. Thus, the mountain lion totem is a helpful symbol for being more agile and adaptable in your life. The cougar totem is also a good luck symbol for protection if you’re going into a challenging situation. In addition, the cougar totem is a helpful talisman for living in a more beautiful way – from your actions to your words, how you feel about yourself, and your environment.
Mountain lions are ferocious creatures who can strike fear in anyone. However, dreaming of a cougar should not necessarily be viewed negatively or as a bad omen. If you dream about a mountain lion and you wonder what the dream is telling you, consider the emotions you felt in your dream. For example, was it fear, anxiety, or wonder? Dream meanings and interpretations are personal to every individual. However, one thing we have in common is that our subconscious works through our emotions, and understanding our emotions gives us insights into what the dream might mean.
Dreaming of a mountain lion attacking you can be a sign that you’re unprepared for something. So, the dream can be a wakeup call to work on planning and preparation for an upcoming event or activity. The dream can also mean that you need to be more protective of yourself, a person in your life, or in a specific situation.
Scary or anxious dreams can be unpleasant, but they are often gifts because it was “just a dream.” Yet our dreams can be our subconscious or super-conscious sending us messages about things that we might be overriding or ignoring in our conscious state but something that we should address. Hopefully, insights into cougar symbolism and mythology can shed light on what your dream means.
A cougar or mountain lion tattoo sends powerful messages. It can mean that you are a person who values being agile and quick on your feet. Or it may mean that you are a fierce protector. A cougar tattoo can also be a testament to your love for the mountains and the great outdoors. Obviously, tattoos are deeply personal to every individual. And how your tattoo artist presents your cougar tattoo will convey its own unique message. Hopefully learning more about cougar meanings and mythology will add deeper meaning to your tattoo.
As apex predators, cougars face a number of threats, namely from human beings. To begin, they are hunted for sport or by people who feel threatened by them, whether for themselves, their families, livestock, or pets. However, in most cases, the hunting of cougars is overkill. In fact, cougars rarely attack human beings. In the past century, 27 people have been killed by mountain lions in North America. Compare this to about 30 – 50 people who are killed by dogs –every year.10
Cougars also face threats from habitat loss and being hit by cars. Yet, because they are an umbrella species, it’s vitally important that we protect them. In wildlife and biodiversity conservation, protecting an umbrella species means that many other species within that animal’s ecosystem will also be protected. By the same token, if that umbrella species disappears, it throws the entire ecosystem out of balance.
If you care about cougars, please do what you can to protect them. Here are some organizations that are helping to protect mountain lions and their habitats:
Hello. Thanks for visiting UniGuide. My name is Kristen and I started UniGuide as a tribute to nature, animals, and spiritual exploration. I hope you enjoy your experience here!
UniGuide is dedicated to nature and animal lovers, spiritual seekers, and mythology fans.
©2024 UniGuide Media LLC
All Rights Reserved.
UniGuide participates in affiliate programs in which I may earn a small commission if you buy products you link to from UniGuide. Please see my Disclosures for details.
I donate 10% of UniGuide’s profits to animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and environmental charities. Learn more on About UniGuide.
UniGuide Media LLC
Sausalito, CA 94965
22 Responses
Well, I saw my first (and hopefully last) cougar this evening while out with my dogs. Not a great time for recall to fail. It was a young cat, about the same length as my German Shepherd, but thinner. It climbed up a tree when my dog walked into the forest following a scent. The cat was scampering up the tree while the dog stood at the bottom looking up.
Not a single sound from either animal — except me. I was calling and whistling and sounding at once very stern and next, tried the playful call. Nothing worked. I also had my German Weimaraner with me. She watched from a distance. Was curious and took steps towards the forest but I think she was more clued into the urgency in my voice so chose to follow me back to the house door.
I got her inside and went back out to try again with the Shepherd. Eventually, my daughter came out with a whistle. But even that did nothing. I tried rattling a bag of treats. Not sure that worked either but eventually, she did come and no negative encounter occurred.
What is interesting is I have just moved across Canada to be nearer both my daughters who live about two hours apart. I left the place where I was born 65 years ago, sold my home, drove across the country with the two dogs and am now starting to build a house here. Seems crazy at my age, but even though I’ve only been in cougar country for about 3 months, I know it was the right move. Also, very few of the people I have spoken to who have lived here all their lives have actually seen a cougar. Lots of grizzlies and black bears, but never a cougar.
So why am I so lucky!? I was just getting brave enough to walk the trails on my own with the pups. This is going to set me back a tad but on we go!
What a powerful encounter! I have heard that cougars prefer to avoid dogs unless they think the dogs are a threat to their cubs. So, I’m glad you had your two bodyguards with you! But that encounter would have freaked me out too! There have been mountain lion sightings around where I live too, but as much as I revere those beautiful wild cats, I would not want to run into one – or a bear for that matter! Still, a powerful encounter for you and I am so happy that you took the time to look up the spiritual and symbolic meanings! Lucky you! And best of luck on your new, bold venture!
Hello there, I had a dream that I was babysitting my friends kids and I stepped outside my front steps and kids were playing outside. Down the stairs was a large black cat I saw. It looked up at me and started walking towards me. I wasn’t scared as I often get animal dreams. It came to me and I petted it, it was purring and the kids also came and petted it. I asked the kids if it was a panther but they said it was a puma. It was beautiful, it was all black and yellow eyes. A young lady asked me to look at its belly because there was a scar there and she wanted to know why. As they flipped her over I could see it was a female and the marks looked like a scrape almost as if she were hit by a car. I than petted her face and ears again, her purring was loud. The dream was so vivid.
This is an interesting dream! For instance – the terms you and the kids use. Panther is more of blanket term for large wild cats, and puma for mountain lions, or cougars. Because the cat in your dream was black, you might find some added insights in my post about jaguar symbolism, in which there is a section on black jaguar meaning.
I think this is a very positive dream, as you know. The children in the dream whom you care for in real life, the fact that the cat was wounded yet healed and was purring and docile in your presence. It seems to me you are person who is very powerful because of your care for others. You have the ability to calm even those who might otherwise be angry or dangerous. It seems you are also a person who can balance immense power without abusing it in any way. I think it’s a very compelling dream.
.
Thank you very much! Would by any chance know anything about dragon dreams? I had one in particular that I can’t decode and I feel it was an important message.
Dragons are COMPLEX! I’ll let you know once I research and write that one!
I had a dream on the night of the recent lunar eclipse that I was sitting on the back porch of a childhood home (as an adult) with my Mom. I looked up the hill and told my Mom to look at the cave and where there was a mountain lion and juvenile. I told her she should go in the house. The mountain lion and juvenile languidly came down the hill. I felt that I didn’t have time to go inside and being still was best. I didn’t feel adrenaline just calmly watched. The mother mountain lion walked up to me (sitting on the steps) and put her two paws on each of my thighs but began nuzzling me with her face like a house cat might do. She was purring loudly and even licked me with a very rough tongue. I was surprised but calm – the juvenile sort of leaned against the outside of my right calf.
It was a very clear dream that I still recall so vividly.
Thanks for your information on mountain lions!
What a beautiful and powerful dream! It seems that you are a very spiritually centered person.
Couple nights ago, I dreamed that I was in a place with people, adults and kids and a mountain lion came toward me and lay across my shoulders (like cats do) I wasn’t afraid at all, the mountain lion was a little heavy and I just wanted someone to hand me my phone to take a picture but people were a little afraid, not crazy afraid screaming and running away but backing up a little. Then I woke up with a good feeling and immediately started wondering about the meaning of this dream and started reading about mountain lion dreams.
Do you have an idea of the meaning of this dream, how can it be interpreted.
Thank you so much.
That’s an interesting dream! I often think that when we dream of animals, they represent an aspect of ourselves. In your dream, you were almost “wearing” the cougar like a mantle (though I am happy it was a life cougar and not their fur) My immediate reaction to your description of your dream is that you are person who is claiming, or coming into, your personal power. As you do this, you will gain some things in life. Perhaps it’s acclaim, perhaps financial rewards, or even your ability to handle life’s challenges more effectively (as cougar meaning includes agility.) People around you might be taken aback as you do this. You might catch them off guard. But I think you will find that ultimately, they will respect and support you for this. I hope this helps!
I had a dream about a young black cougar coming through the screen door of my house. It came into the living room, the dog chased it back out as I held the door for it. It just ran out and I closed the door. That was it. Then I woke up. Very strange…no fear in the dream…what could that mean?
Wow. I think this is an awesome dream! I don’t know if you are Christian or not, and it’s fine if you are not. I believe that spiritual masters come in many forms. For example, Buddha was one too. Anyway, there is a quote in the Bible by Jesus, Luke 22:34, which is one of my favorite quotes because it is about the power of compassion and the mark of an enlightened soul. It’s when Jesus is on the cross and he says to God about what the Romans have done to him, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.” He is saying, in essence, their cruelty is due to their ignorance.
So, I view your dream as your insightful ability and compassion to see this. A normally scary, powerful animal comes into your house – even black, which makes them scarier to some. However, you saw that the cougar was young (i.e. inexperienced in the way the Roman soldeirs were ignorant.) Your dog, a protective spirit, protected you, and the cougar left. You were not afraid. No one was hurt.
I view this as your ability to see clearly into where others are coming from. It’s an ultimate sign of compassion and empathy for others. You need to protect your space, your boundaries, and have protective companions around you, while still having compassion for others who may be less aware, less enlightened, still young.
That’s my reading anyway. I think it’s a beautiful dream!
I had a dream last night about being in a house with my younger sister. It wasn’t new but it was new to me and there was a cat there. A normal house cat, an orange and white cat. It satred at me as I stood in the kitchen of that house. Then it walked towards me brushed it’s body against me affectionately but at that moment transformed into a mountain lion. Afterward it left and a man appeared. Weird. In the dream, my younger sister said, “that was a mountain lion” she was shocked I was excited. Then my younger sister left. And many people started to visit and congratulate me. I thought it was my sister’s house, but turned out it was mine. What does the mountain lion mean? This entire month I have had all types of dreams first a black bear that turned into a black panther , a humming bird that turned into Phoenix, and now a house cat turning into a mountain lion.
Well, this is a fascinating dream! When people ask me about animal dreams, I often feel like the animal is a manifestation of themselves. Your dream has a lot of shapeshifting and transformation. In addition to the animals, even the house transforms to become yours. (I think houses in dreams help to put some parameters around big spiritual concepts so that they’re easier for us to comprehend.)
The house cat turning into a mountain lion feels like a transformation from less powerful to fully empowered, as the mountain lion is obviously a creature that is filled with powerful qualities and not tame. Same with the hummingbird to phoenix. The bear to panther is more just the transfer of two very powerful animals.
My feeling is that the dream is about you becoming more empowered in your life. And you have people around you who are happy to see this – reflected in those congratulating you in the dream. Or, if you are not feeling empowered yet, it’s important to work on those qualities.
The affection of the house cat also feels to me that you have the gentleness to be able to use your newfound power in a way that serves the higher good. (So, this is the opposite of abuse of power, when people gain power in some way, and it can even be just emotional, psychological, etc. and don’t use it well.) I feel like your dream is telling you that you are ready for the next step in your life, whatever form that takes. I hope this helps. Thanks for sharing this!
I also loved your very informative article! I am Klamath Indian, and my spirit animal is the mountain lion. I named by painting business Llyons Painting- it’s been the perfect name, and easy for customers to remember.
So cool! Thank you for sharing this. I love learning about Native American mythology and culture. I really try to honor it when I write about it on UniGuide. The mountain lion is so regal. I have been thinking about them a lot lately as we even have some here in Marin County in Northern California where I live. Best of luck with your painting business!
I’m Cherokee chickasaw choctaw creek and blackfoot,,,,,,,,:;;;;;;;;:;,,mixed Indian)(eventhough I I look,,,,,,,,,white I’m mixed what does it mean when mountain,lion comes up into my yard about 10feet,away from me,and just looks at me and I look back at it and then it leaves no emotion no attax,thank God ,please tell me I want to know what the meaning of this is I’m I’m full believer in these types of things)I’ll get the message faster if you text me
Wow. This doesn’t happen to many people, to say the least! I envy you, actually! The calmness on your part and the mountain lion’s seems like a very positive, soul connection experience. I had this once with a coyote and one of my dogs who has since passed. We ran into a big, male coyote on a trail. But instead of him running away or snarling, and the same with my dog, they just stared and stared at each other peacefully. The coyote looked me in the eye too. Not afraid, not aggressive, just peaceful. I view your experience as a validation that you are an enlightened soul. Keep expanding your spiritual awareness and consciousness!
I have dreams about cougars especially after a pet or person passed away and I’m very sad. It goes behind me and puts its paw on my back and breathes on my neck and afterwards I feel
Comforted and stronger I think.
That is fascinating. I think I feel very assured if I dreamt of that as well. Thank you.
Really appreciate this thorough and thoughtful essay. The many cultural sources feel scholarly and are respectful of this great animal and the humans who care about it. Visitors saw one on my property today in upstate NY, and I feel honored and alert.
How cool! Lucky for them! I love hearing about actual cougar sightings. Thanks for your comment.