Texas Native Cats

A humorous look at how cougars, aka mountain lions, might view human visitors in their territory.

But maybe the story isn't too far-fetched.

Cougars on High Alert as Yet Another Human Wanders Into the Woods Without Common Sense Cougars across Oregon are once again sounding the alarm as yet another human has wandered deep into the wilderness, completely unprepared and blissfully unaware of their surroundings. Local mountain

Male mountain lions in southern California adapt their habits to avoid humans.

Smart felines.

Mountain lions change timing of activity in response to recreation - The Wildlife Society In the greater LA area, mountain lions are becoming more active at night to avoid people

Greetings, Friends of Texas Native Cats!

Tuesday, 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯, 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆. Please consider the cats in your donation plans.

Your support means we can continue to expand our efforts in:

• Awarding scholarships to high school contest winners as part of our TEKS-aligned education program in Texas high schools
• Providing materials at outreach events
• Participating in more community presentations, including new locations
• Continuing to host more virtual guest speaker presentations on wild cats

We had 21 outreach events in DFW in 2024, reaching more than 1000 individuals, including children. And Houston had four outreach events with over 100 people at our booth. Texas Native Cats also had three virtual guest speaker presentations and made seven in-person presentations to groups. There is more in store for 2025!

With your generosity, we can reach more people throughout our great state about our extraordinary wild felines and the important ecological role they play. You may make a tax-deductible gift at https://www.texasnativecats.org/

On behalf of the cats, thank you!

Tuesday

Bobcats play an important ecological role and help to contain disease as you'll read in this article from Mongabay.

And there are some stunning images of this cat!

Bobcats are back, and they’re helping protect people from zoonotic disease A bobcat, with its characteristic reddish fur and black markings, trots across a snow-covered field in central Oregon, in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, hunting birds at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery. It could almost be mistaken for a giant domestic cat, except for its massive legs, a shorter...

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed a mountain lion sighting today that occurred on November 1 in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas. By now, many of you have seen the video of the cat in a homeowner's backyard. There has been no report of problems caused by the cat, and it is likely passing through the area.

There is no known population of mountain lions in North Texas. The last confirmed sighting here occurred in December 2020.

Be aware of your surroundings when you're outside in Frisco or the surrounding area, as this cat may still be in the area. And follow these tips from Texas Parks and Wildlife if you encounter a lion:

Pick up small children to prevent them from running and triggering
a rush or attack.
Stay calm, talk calmly, and slowly back away, keeping eye contact with the mountain lion.
DO NOT RUN OR TURN YOUR BACK.
Do what you can to appear LARGER by raising your arms or waving
a stick.
If the lion is aggressive, throw rocks or sticks and speak firmly and loudly.
FIGHT BACK if a lion attacks you. Lions can be driven off by fighting back. DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Even children have successfully driven
off a mountain lion by fighting back.

Report all aggressive mountain lion behavior to TPWD DFW Urban Wildlife Biologist, Rachel Richter,
at Rachel. [email protected].

Send a message to learn more

The Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville is an active partner in the ocelot breeding program that aims to increase the number of South Texas ocelots to 200 from their estimated population of 100. Ultimately, if the efforts succeed, our beautiful, spotted cat could be removed from the endangered species list.

Texas has the only breeding ocelots in the United States.

Gladys Porter Zoo welcomes new ocelot amid repopulation efforts Ignacio — or Iggy — is a 7-year-old ocelot who arrived to the zoo and is sharing the space occupied by the existing resident —Leeloo.

🌍 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹! 🌍

📅 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: October 19
🕚 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 AM - 5 PM
📍 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Plano International Festival, Haggard Park, Plano TX

We’re excited to announce that Texas Native Cats will be participating in the Plano International Festival for the third consecutive year! This event has a huge turnout, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to learn about our amazing wild cats, including ocelots, bobcats, and mountain lions. 🐾

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼:

• Discover fascinating facts about Texas wild cats
• Learn about our conservation efforts
• Make a donation to support our cause

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀: https://www.texasnativecats.org/donate

Let’s make this Halloween season a wild one! 🎃

🐾Happy National Bobcat Day! 🐾

Join us in celebrating the incredible bobcat, a true Texas native! These fascinating felines are not only beautiful but also play a crucial role in our ecosystem. Here are some amazing facts about bobcats:

1. Versatile Hunters: Bobcats can hunt in almost any landscape, from woodlands and deserts to urban areas and swamps. They prey on a variety of animals, including rabbits, rodents, and even deer.

2. Territorial and Solitary: Bobcats are known for their solitary nature and strong territorial instincts. They mark their territory with scent markings and visual signals like claw marks on trees.

3. Incredible Speed and Agility: These cats can run up to 30 miles per hour and are excellent climbers. They can leap up to 10 feet in a single bound.

4. Adaptable Survivors: Bobcats are highly adaptable and can thrive in diverse environments. This adaptability has helped them maintain a stable population despite habitat changes.

5. Unique Appearance: Bobcats are easily recognized by their “bobbed” tails, which are shorter than those of other wild cats. They also have tufted ears and a distinctive spotted and striped coat.

Let’s protect and appreciate these magnificent creatures that call Texas home! 🌟



Thanks to Randy Moody for bobcat photo!

Thank you, donors! The cats received $1,175 from you in this year's 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆. Those funds will go toward our activities in North Texas, including outreach, TEKS-aligned education, and presentations.

Your support is crucial to our efforts as we continue to provide education, outreach, and advocacy for our wild cats.

"If you save the Florida panther (mountain lion), you save Florida."

The Florida Panther Finds an Unlikely Ally Cattle ranchers are joining forces with conservation groups to support the big cat’s comeback. By Lindsey Liles August/September 2024 Someone once told the sixth-generation cattle rancher Jim Strickland a maxim that stuck with him: If you save the Florida panther, you save Florida. The endangered ...

Texas Native Cats is happy to announce we are taking part again this year in North Texas Giving Year! The event is underway and culminates on September 19, North Texas Giving Day. 100% of donations go to the nonprofits participating.

Please consider making a donation to help us reach our goal of $5000. Your contribution will help to enable Texas Native Cats to fund our TEKS-aligned school education program launching this fall in DFW, participate in more outreach events (15 events this year and counting), provide presentations to a wider audience, and host more free guest speaker presentations. First and foremost, we will be able to provide more advocacy for Texas’ wild cats, especially our mountain lion and ocelot.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽

Visit: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/Texas-Native-Cats and make a gift between now and September 19. Give with a purpose to help these sometimes misunderstood but important and majestic wild cats.

Keep the momentum going! Be sure to tag and if you’re online. And spread the word to your friends, family, and contacts!

On behalf of the cats, thank you!

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸

In celebration of International Puma Day on August 30, Texas Native Cats joins the Suçuarana Detectives Initiative to promote the Cerrado biodiversity conservation, and the puma (mountain lion) is the ambassador. The Cerrado covers more than 20% of Brazil and surrounding nations and is the largest savanna region in South America. Home to jaguars, maned wolves, giant anteaters and pumas, it is located between the Amazon, the Atlantic Forest, and the Pantanal.
The Suçuarana Detectives Initiative is conducted by the research group Cerrado Mammal Conservation Program (PCMC). August 24 – 31 will be a week reserved to promote human-wildlife coexistence related to conservation of pumas worldwide.
Texas Native Cats is excited to recognize the Suçuarana Detectives Initiative and joins them in celebrating our puma!


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Two seemingly similar but different diseases are affecting the Florida panther (mountain lion) and a mountain lion in Colorado. The images are tragic.

Scientists may be narrowing in on the cause of the disease in the panthers, whereas the cat in Colorado was afflicted with the rustrela virus.

Scientists found ‘staggering disease’ in a Colorado mountain lion. A mysterious affliction is also making Florida panthers limp. Scientists believe a mysterious neurological disorder causing leg weakness in Florida panthers and bobcats is unrelated to the first North American case of “staggering disease” recently identified in a Colorado mountain lion. A study published...

Next time you're on the Texas coast, imagine this cat that used to wander the area.

Saber-Toothed Cat Once Roamed Texas Coast Analysis of an "ugly" fossil found on a Texas beach has shed new light on an extinct saber-toothed cat.

A rare occurrence of a mountain lion in southeast Alaska. Sadly, it didn't end well for the cat.

Mountain lion killed on island; first Southeast sighting since 1998 Mountain lions are not commonly spotted in Southeast Alaska, but earlier this month one was killed on the south end of Wrangell Island. Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game were notified that a mountain lion had been shot and killed on June 3. They took possession of t...