The majority of mountain lion sightings are false. Usually people are actually seeing house cats, dogs, bobcats, or coyotes. In West Virginia, Chris Lawrence suggests maybe people have been seeing fishers instead. This small mammal is in the same family as weasels and badgers, with a muscular feline-type build and a long fluffy tail very similar to that of a mountain lion. After looking at photos of fishers, it is very easy to see how people could mistake these critters for black panthers.