Footprints are proof of a lion's presence

Cougars are lone, elusive, and extremely secretive animals. If you are fortunate enough to spot a cougar in the vicinity, it will likely be through a "cougar sign" rather than an actual sighting. Footprints are proof of a lion's presence. Cougar footprints have the classic cat heel impression, which has three lobes at the heel's base and two lobes on the top (or leading edge). A cougar track's toes are positioned asymmetrically and resemble teardrop or elongated oval imprints. The little toe, like our little finger, serves as a reliable indicator of whether we are looking at a right or left foot. The leading toe corresponds to our middle finger.

Cougars can neatly retract their claws, like the majority of other cat species. Thus, unless you're looking in exceptionally rugged terrain, you won't often find evidence of claws in their footprints. Pay a little closer attention, if the cougar is stalking or walking on snow or mud, the walking track sequences are often direct registers of tracks. This signifies that the front feet's matching imprints have been directly filled by the left and right hind feet. In contrast, if the animal is walking normally, an over-stepped register or slightly offset straight register happens. The forefoot imprint is put on top of or in front of the hindfoot.

The left and right hind feet will have been positioned in or close to the equivalent imprints created by the front feet, leaving a tidy, regular placement of paired or overlapping footprints that will resemble a path left by a cougar. Be aware that cougars seldom exhibit changes in stride in their tracks unless they are actively hunting, playing, or fleeing from an adversary.