Cougar

Cougars are a species of animal found in Red Dead Redemption. They are a species of predatory cat found throughout western North America at the time of Red Dead Redemption. The animal, also known as the Mountain Lion, Red Lion, Puma, Catamount or Mountain Screamer is a very vicious and bloodthirsty predator. Caution must be taken in the event of an encounter. They prowl the deserts, prairies, forests and mountains. Rarely seen in the wild without it being in the attempt to maul you, the cougar can be seen taking naps or rolling around in the grass like a young kitten. If alarmed, the cat will attempt to kill you. Cougars are known to prey on travelers and their horses throughout the game world, and are notorious for interrupting the player's progress. Cougars may be hunted, skinned, and traded with merchants for cash.

In Undead Nightmare, the animal is transformed/mutated into the Undead Cougar.

Description
Cougars strike fear into the hearts of their unsuspecting victims with their cry. They are one of the most vicious predators in the game; they kill swiftly and without remorse. One strike is enough to kill a horse and two strikes can kill the player. They often travel in pairs, attacking one at a time, unless chasing an NPC.

Cougars are scarce animals, and the phrase "You don't find cougars, they find you" has arisen because of this. Generally, cougars are scripted to spawn randomly at random locations at any time; however, there are some areas in which Cougars may spawn frequently. One of the main reasons Cougars are hard to spot/find is because they are silent as they run. As well as this, Cougars have a low stance, meaning they're always relatively low to the ground and sport a brown coat that camouflages the cat into the brush. Cougars are nocturnal, meaning they are more active at night; however, they can be found in small numbers during the daytime or at dawn.

It is not known exactly how long a cougar stalks its prey before pouncing. Thus, high caution is advised in the event that the presence of a cougar in the area is suspected. There are few signs that can help the player if there is a cat nearby, such as:

- Sudden movements seen in the surrounding terrain. (Moving bushes, bizarre purring, brown flashes in the trees, etc.)

- An abrupt panic and escapade among any animals nearby, such as deer and birds.

- Any sign of disturbance (Dead bodies, gunshots, etc.)

- Player's Horse rearing in alarm, similar to Rattlesnakes

NOTE: Cougars are prominent in the US border territories. Mexico is known as a safe haven from the fur-lined devils, allowing for a more peaceful environment throughout the beautiful wilderness.

The fifth Master Hunter Challenge requires the player to kill and skin two cougars with a knife.

The second scrap of the Expert Hunter Outfit requires the player to kill a cougar using a stick of dynamite.

Locations
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 * The most prevalent place to find them is near the Wreck of the Serendipity. They can be found within the "U" shape the road makes. Between 5 AM and 6 AM is the most frequent time to spot one.
 * Cougars are sometimes found on rocky outcrops in New Austin. They can be found in West Elizabeth around the area of Beecher's Hope in the Great Plains region. Cougars are also common around Rio Bravo in New Austin (around Fort Mercer and Plainview, specifically around Repentance Rock, where they are virtually the only animal that spawns at night). In the land to the north of Fort Mercer, cougars can be found even during the day, and players may be attacked by up to five in one sitting.
 * Cougars can also be found in the hills north-west from MacFarlane's Ranch. They can be found with bait in the hills (go to the very mountainous part high up in the hills).
 * Cougars, along with Wolves, Coyotes, and Bobcats, are often found in the random encounters where an NPC is being chased by a gang of predatory animals.
 * (Multiplayer Only) A large family of Cougars and sometimes Khan the Jaguar lives within the perimeter of the hunting cabin in Tanner's Reach, Tall Trees. There are at least eight of them and they attack at once, so approach the cabin/area with caution.
 * They are frequently found near trees and grasses around Blackwater. They can be found south of Blackwater, right above the image of the boars on the map. Ride around for 1-2 minutes and one will most likely attack.
 * Cougars also frequent at the road heading southeast from Plainview into the US/Mexican border late at night.
 * They are also fairly common north of MacFarlane's Ranch (notated on the map, where the icon of a boar is) usually at dawn, dusk and morning.
 * Silent Stead is a good spawning point for cougars in single-player. If you get onto the roof (go around the back and jump from onto the overhand) and face the road, the cougars spawn by some boulders to your right. They come in pairs about thirty seconds apart.
 * The slopes of Rattlesnake Hollow continually produce cougars during the day in singleplayer. Go there at your own peril.
 * Rarely, a cougar can be seen outside of Thieves' Landing in the swamplands.
 * Cougars can sometimes be found in Beecher's Hope, usually in late afternoon. They will normally be chasing prey (foxes, rabbits, etc.) in packs of two.
 * Cougars are not scripted to be found anywhere in Mexico. A rare spawn of a cougar in Mexico is a bug.
 * They can also be found north of The Great Plains, between the railroad tracks and the river. The most reliable spawning spot is where the trees are thinning out where Tall Trees meets the Great Plains. They can also be found in the Great Plains where the fox symbol is located on the map. Usually, if you see one cougar, you will spot another soon.
 * One lucrative spawn point is in the large chunk of land south of the southern road leading out of Blackwater where it forms a road and east of the Wreck of the Serendipity, where you will find up to two at a time. Be warned that if you aren't careful, they will sneak up on you and double team.

Tips and Tricks

 * The most important thing to remember is that if the player has taken any damage whatsoever before a cougar attacks, it's attack is instant death. Only a full health bar is any defense against one.
 * The only time you will see a cougar in a docile state is when they are found napping peacefully, playfully rolling around in the dirt or just slowly walking around. Do not let looks deceive you. If startled, the cat will attack you.
 * The main thing the player should focus on is staying away from the cat, if it attacks them then they will fall down and be exposed for another strike.
 * Cougars often attack from behind, charging from an unseen spot in the bushes.
 * Cougars charge at the player in a straight line, so quickly sidestepping will allow the player to dodge the cougar.
 * They attempt to stalk and follow the player, giving an opportunity to spot and defend against.
 * They will often snarl audibly just before they run over to attack you. Their charge is silent, and they are fast.
 * Cougar spawn locations generally do not stop at one; often there are two in any given location, and cougars in some locations respawn as fast as wolves.
 * Cougars will chase, stalk and attack NPC humans, wild horses, and other herbivores, but will totally ignore other dangerous animals and are ignored by them. This can lead to the very dangerous situation of being attacked by wolves and a cougar at the same time.
 * A very easy way to kill cougars is to get in a stagecoach or on top of a nearby roof, because they can't hit you and they will walk around in circles, making it very easy to kill them.
 * When attacked, the player will be knocked down and defenseless for a few seconds. Cougars often use hit and run attacks: attacking the player or horse and then running off, turning around when out of sight, and attacking again. If they cannot back off sufficiently by turning around, for example if there is a wall behind them, they will attempt to back off forward, encounter the player again, and instantly attack a second time, killing them with no chance of defending themselves. This appears to be an unintended pathfinding bug rather than a feature.
 * To effectively hunt cougars, a good strategy is using firearms, and limiting open space by situating the player at a cliff's edge or a canyon wall. Cougars, once sprinting, will sprint in a straight line. This makes a good clean shot relatively easy with good reaction time. Going into Dead Eye and aiming for the animal's head makes it an easy kill. A powerful revolver or rifle works well.
 * Trying to block an attack from a Cougar with a knife is useless. The cat will knock the player down. Even worse, the knife animation may prevent Marston being knocked down; if this happens, the Cougar will attack again instantly and kill him.
 * Occasionally, shooting or knifing a cougar will cause it to turn and run; this is especially true if it is critically damaged. Lasso the cat to keep it from escaping. Chasing after it is generally a bad idea since the player will often find themselves so distracted by the first cougar they do not notice a second.
 * Riding on horseback while being attacked by cougars is a good strategy, although the cougar only needs to scratch the horse once and it dies. However, riding on a horse offers some protection as the cougar will kill the horse first, not the player. But, Marston will be knocked down for a few seconds, so you must react quickly to kill the cougar first (Marston will usually be slightly, and sometimes critically, injured by the fall; in very rare cases the cougar may approach in such a way that it injures Marston and not the horse). If you have one of the better horses (e.g. American Standardbred), but do not have the deed, as it may be too expensive, it is recommended that you do not take that horse into cougar-prone areas. Instead, steal a horse for the protection it can offer (either steal one and do not hitch it, or break a wild one and do not hitch, as long as you want to keep your current horse).
 * On a fast horse such as the Kentucky Saddler or the American Standardbred, it's possible to avoid cougar attacks by being too fast. This is likely due the game's AI continually attempting to correct the angle of attack, and the player moving so fast it can't fully compensate before the player is outside attacking range.
 * Observant players can sometimes see a cougar lying down in the grasses at the top of the cliffs in the upper areas of the great plains. When the player spots one, they should leave the cougar alone. Shooting them will only anger them and will attack you. The cougar will not run away. This is also a good spot to hunt cougars, due to the open space they are easy to spot and fairly easy to kill before they get a chance to attack you. Beware though, they may attack you whilst hunting other game or is busy fending off wolves.
 * Players should remember that rolling can be extremely useful when in combat with Cougars. If the player does not kill a Cougar while it is sprinting towards them, they can perform a roll by remaining in aim mode and pressing X or the square button while pushing the movement stick to perform the roll in that direction. It is ideal to roll to the left or right of the Cougar just before they attack. After you have evaded the Cougar, it will usually run back into the foliage and attempt to stalk you again, so don't lose sight of it or assume it has gone.
 * When hunting cougars in Tall Trees, keep watch on other animals such as Bears, Boar, and Bobcats.
 * When traveling, you can sometimes meet a person asking for help finding animals. This can provide a great opportunity in finding cougars.
 * In Tanner's Reach, should a large group of cougars attack, there is a rock near the cabin that is climbable. Players can use it to their advantage by climbing up on it and shooting the cougars from top without taking any strikes from them.
 * Watch your horse; they will appear relaxed when there is no nearby danger. However, if the horse seems uneasy, then a cougar may be nearby.

Challenges

 * The 5th Master Hunter Challenge requires that two Cougars be killed and skinned with a Hunting Knife; as with other challenges (though it is far more obvious with this one), dying resets the count to 0 if there has not been a save. One of the ways to go about doing this is to have a full Dead Eye meter. When searching for the Cougar, a Pistol or Revolver should be equipped. Once the Cougar is spotted, go into Dead Eye and put two shots into the Cougar's body; just make sure to avoid shooting it in the head. Once the Cougar has been shot, it should run away and it can then be chased down and killed with the Hunting Knife. As the Cougar will be injured, it should only take one knife strike to kill.
 * One of the best tactics is to shoot the cougar in the body two times with a Cattleman Revolver on horse back, then chase it down with a knife (this is the hardest part as it will not run slowly but it will not attack now). The best place to do this is south of Blackwater around the boar image in the map. It will take about two minutes for one to appear. If one appears and you kill it, you won't have to leave the area or save and load as they will keep coming. Shooting the cougar once in the front legs and once in the back legs with the Cattleman Revolver seems to slow it down enough that you can run it down on foot and kill it with a knife.
 * An alternative method for killing a Cougar with the Hunting Knife is to attack from horseback. Use a pistol to first injure the Cougar and cause it to flee, then chase it down and attack with the knife. This is risky, however, as the player will often find the cougar is running towards another cougar.
 * Another way is to stay at the cougar's back so he can't attack, then give some space and he will prepare an attack then run to him and knife him. He takes about five seconds to turn and attack from behind. One of the best places to do this is southwest of Blackwater.
 * It is possible, but extremely difficult, to kill one with a single slash of a knife; you must wait until the Cougar attempts to pounce on you and perfectly time a knife slash to the neck just before it collides with you (possibly the head too), but this is risky and nearly impossible to do.
 * An easier way to kill it with a knife is to shoot it in the back leg with a rifle. This does not appear to cause it to run off and sufficiently weakens it to be killed with a single strike from the knife.
 * Another way to make knife killing a cougar is to use the lasso after each strike. It will calm down the cougar so you can come in close and attack.
 * The Expert Hunter outfit requires you to kill a Cougar using dynamite.
 * You can use as many as it takes as it does not have to be in one hit. It is recommended to go to the Wreck of the Serendipity riding a horse and waiting for a cougar to come to you. Once you see one, start riding and throw a stick of dynamite just a little bit in front of you, then get out of there.
 * Another strategy is to climb upon the roof of the little cabin next to the pier, while using bait on the road. Cougars will show up and you can throw the dynamite safely without getting hurt.
 * You can also target the cougar with the dynamite in Dead Eye from horseback until the red "X" appears, and then hit the fire button and it will explode on impact with the cougar. Be careful not to hold the dynamite too long, even in Dead Eye, because it will explode in your hand and knock you down.
 * For an easy dynamite kill, wait for the mission At Home With Dutch. On the climb up the mountain at Cochinay, there will be two dead goats. The first is accompanied by a bear; the second a cougar. This cougar is sneaky, he will stalk you from behind a building, but not bright. Stay safely on the step you climb onto and throw a dynamite at him; he will try to run but find he has nowhere to go.
 * In online, Free Roam cougars can kill the player in one swipe as opposed to two in singleplayer.

Spawning Glitch
Sometimes, in cougar locations throughout single player, players can experience large amounts of cougars attacking very frequently. These glitches can continue for infinite amounts of time, or until the player leaves the area. This differs from the usual one/two cougars at one location at a time.

This glitch was also reported in Free Roam, where the player in question was ongoing a firefight in the Great Plains. The player was consecutively attacked by cougars for 10 to 15 minutes. The only way to stop the glitch is for all the players in the Great Plains to evacuate the area for around 15 minutes.

In another glitch, Cougars can become very popular in certain parts of the Cholla Springs area, sometimes appearing extremely randomly in random towns such as Armadillo, which can become annoying because cougars can easily kill you when they take you by surprise. However, this glitch is extremely rare.

Trivia

 * In the real world, cougars are typically far less aggressive against humans than depicted in game. They don't usually recognize humans as prey and the mere act of shouting at them is sometimes enough to scare them off. If they do attack, they can usually be fended off using rocks, sticks or even bare hands. Also, cougars are seldom found in grassy, open areas unlike in the game, and usually live in rocky, mountainous areas away from humans.
 * There have only been a total of 88 attacks on humans by cougars between the years of 1890 and 2004 with only 20 being fatal. This is probably less than the number of times John Marston is attacked by a cougar during the average singleplayer playthrough.
 * In reality, cougars are extremely solitary. The only time you will see more than one is if you encounter a mother and cubs.
 * It appears that in Red Dead Redemption, the Cougars' primary source of food (other than the player) is the Boar as they are most commonly encountered in areas heavily populated by Boar with the exception of Rio Bravo, Gaptooth Ridge and Nuevo Paraiso.
 * On the new trailer for the Liars and Cheats DLC pack, released September 15th, on the bottom of the screen during the hunting grounds section, it says to "Watch out for Demi the Legendary Cougar".
 * Cougars are commonly misidentified as bobcats.
 * Infected cougars are encounterable in the Undead Nightmare DLC pack.
 * Cougars and bobcats share the same sound file.
 * Sometimes when playing Poker at MacFarlane's Ranch, one of the players will say "I heard that big Cougar is hunting at the river again". It is unknown what river he is talking about, but upon going to the lake north-east of the ranch, a cougar will sometimes spawn there, usually in the evenings. This is more than likely the place mentioned as it is close-by.
 * Despite their relatively small size, cougars have been seen attacking bears, but this is quite rare.

Achievement
The player must kill a Cougar to contribute to the successful completion of the trophy/achievement: