Mountain Lion Trivia

Test your knowledge about the world's wild cats, including America's Lion and maybe some cats you've never heard of. Writer and naturalist Caryl Pearson created this quiz with questions in three levels, getting more challenging as they go.

1. The tail of the mountain lion is:

1. Short, like a bobcat's
2. Long, like a leopard's
3. The mountain lion has no tail.
4. It depends on the lion

2. Which of these wild cats can run the fastest in the 100-yard dash?

1. Mountain lion
2. Tiger
3. Cheetah
4. African lion

3. Which of the following wild cats is the largest one living on Earth today?

1. The tiger (Panthera tigris)
2. African lion (Panthera leo)
3. Sabertooth tiger (Smilodon)
4. Jaguar (Panthera onca)

4. At which stage of life does the mountain lion have spots?

1. Old-timer
2. Whippersnapper
3. Grownup
4. All ages

5. If you were going to fix dinner for a mountain lion, which of the following would he most likely prefer?

1. peanut butter and jelly
2. veggie fried rice
3. waffles
4. roast beef with gravy

Answers. 1: B; 2: C, The cheetah clocked at 6.6 seconds!; 3: A, the tiger (The Sabertooth Tiger is extinct.); 4: B, The whippersnapper; spots are usually faded by about 8 months. 5: D, lions are like all cats and they love meat.

Intermediate Quiz:

1. How far can a mountain lion jump horizontally in a single bound when running?

1. 10 ft.
2. 20 ft.
3. 30 ft.
4. 45 ft.

2. Pick the type of habitat where the mountain lion would most like to live:

1. Seashore
2. Desert
3. Forest with tall trees
4. Hills with brush, trees, and rocks

3. Which of the following wild cats likes to hide and pounce on their prey rather than chase it?

1. Tiger
2. Leopard
3. Mountain lion
4. All of the above

4. Which wild cat species is considered to be truly social, living in groups called prides?

1. Bobcat
2. Mountain lion
3. African lion
4. Cheetah

5. Which state does not allow humans to hunt mountain lions?

1. Texas
2. California
3. Oregon
4. Colorado

Answers: 1: C, 30 feet!; 2: D, (While lions are adaptable and could live in any of these environments, this habitat has the most cover for sneaking up on prey.); 3: D; 4. C; 5. B.

Challenging Quiz:

1. Which of the following wild cats is known for its ability to descend from a tree head-first?

1. Lynx
2. Leopard
3. Jaguar
4. Mountain lion

2. The smallest wild cat on earth weighs only 3 1/2 pounds and lives in India. What is it called?

1. Indian Pygmy Cat
2. Miniature Jungle Cat
3. Rusty Spotted Cat
4. The Little Mouser

3. Which of the following cats have pupils that close to a dot, rather than a slit?

1. Common domestic house cat
2. Mountain lion
3. Ocelot
4. Cheetah

4. Which of the following wild cats has its range from the Yukon all the way down to southern Argentina?

1. Lynx
2. Mountain lion
3. Jaguar
4. Snow leopard

A famous mountain lion has lived as a bachelor in a park in Los Angeles for many years. What is his name?

1. Lonely One
2. Hercules
3. P-22
4. Sir Leaps-a-lot

6. Which of the following cats has the spookiest and most hair-raising call in the animal kingdom?

1. Tiger
2. African Lion
3. Jaguar
4. Mountain lion

Answers: 1: B; 2: C; 3: B & D; 4: B; 5: C; 6: D (Female mountain lions make an alarming sound when searching for mates. This earned the cats the nickname mountain screamer.)