A "puma" (or cougar/mountain lion) refers to an age group in slang for women dating younger men, typically a woman in her 30s (under 40), while a "cougar" is usually in her 40s or older, though the terms overlap, with pumas being younger, under-40 versions of cougars seeking younger partners. The slang distinguishes these women from the actual animal, a large wild cat.
Adults (36 months+) Once they have established a home range pumas may live up to 12-13 years in the wild. Puma home ranges vary widely by each state and even within states. Here in the Santa Cruz mountains an average male home-range will be 100 square miles, while a female puma will range about 30 square miles.
Occasionally, the slang term "puma" (itself a literal synonym for cougar) is used to denote a woman under the age of 40 who prefers to date significantly younger men, that is, a younger cougar.
Mountain lion, puma, cougar, panther—these cats are known by more names than just about any other mammal! But no matter what you call them, they're still the same cat, Puma concolor, the largest of the "small cats." So why do we call them so many different names?
Age 40-49: Cougar. Age 50-59: Jaguar. Age 60-68: Panther. Age 69: Pussycat. Age 70-79: Cheetah.
“Cougars” are popularly defined as women in their 40s (or older) who date significantly younger men, generally at a 10-year age gap or more.
Catamounts are large wild cats that are also called panthers, cougars or mountain lions. The last catamount killed in Vermont was shot in 1881. This catamount is on display at the Vermont History Museum.
In the United States, "puma" has been used as slang for a cougar minus ten years; she is defined as a woman in her 30s who prefers dating younger men. Hollywood celebrity Jennifer Aniston has long been associated with the term due to her relationships with younger men, most notably John Mayer (nine years younger).
What is a puma? A puma is the largest of the small cat species. The puma (Puma concolor) has more names than almost every other mammal and this is because they have such a huge range and so different populations of humans have learned to call these animals different things.
Images of women's sexuality beyond the age of forty are lacking in popular culture. Recently, however, the term cougar has been embraced by American media as a label describing “older” women who assertively pursue younger sexual partners.
The word cougar is also a slang term for an older woman who dates much younger men. Even when it is meant to be a compliment, like any stereotype, cougar has the potential to offend — best to avoid.
Cubs (0-2 years old)
Cougar (slang) Adult Question (User) Age Gap. Slang Meanings. Dating and Relationships.
Age 18-21: Wildcat Age 22-29: Lynx Age 30-39: Puma Age 40-49: Cougar Age 50-59: Jaguar Age 60-69: Panther Age 70-79: Cheetah Age 80-89: Leopard Age 90-99: Sabertooth Tiger Age 100+: Lion.
Cougar is used to describe an older woman who looks for relationships with younger men. Women are considered cougars when they date someone who is at least a decade older than their partner or casual fling. This 10+ year difference is the age gap to be a cougar, and this is known as the cougar age rule.
PUMA identifies Gen Z, typically aged 18-27, as a key demographic. This group seeks self-expression and enjoyment from sports, prioritizing social connection over extreme performance. PUMA's market analysis shows this generation is crucial for most product categories.
The six (or, by some counts, seven) subspecies are known by a plethora of names throughout their range, which spans 22 countries from southern Alaska to the tip of Tierra del Fuego. 'Puma' is generally used to refer to Latin American cats, while 'cougar' is a North American term, but the distinction is unclear.
Since 2018, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has called for a boycott of Puma over its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association and demanded that the company "end complicity with the Israeli colonial and apartheid regime."
Mountain Lions are also called cougars, pumas, panthers, painters, and catamounts. For more information see: Mountain Lions of Texas PDF (PDF 235.5 Kb)
Pumas are members of the cat or feline family. They are mammals, meaning they have fur or hair, are warm-blooded, and give birth to live babies. Pumas go by lots of different names, including cougar and mountain lion. Pumas are large members of the cat family.
an older woman who seeks sexual relationships with much younger men. He's in his twenties, but he prefers cougars in their forties and fifties to young women his own age.
1. a finch. 2. the sound of a particular bird cry. verb (intransitive)
Definition of 'catamount'
1. a wild animal of the cat family, esp. the cougar or the lynx.
To mount is to climb up something, like a ladder, or get on the back of something, like a horse. You can also mount something on another object, like a camera on a tripod or a sticker on a notebook. The word mountain can help you remember that one way to mount is to climb.