ANONYMOUS QUESTION from a AUTONOMOUS PERSON

Q: What species of big cats are found in Cass County, and how many of each are there?

A: There are two species known to roam the piney woods of Cass County, the bobcat and the mountain lion, which is also known as a cougar, panther, catamount or puma. The bobcat is generally around 35 inches in length and weighs around 26 pounds for males and 20 pounds for females and is known for their relatively short tail, hence the name. The mountain lion ranges from more than six feet in length for females to nearly nine feet for males. Males can weigh between 100 to 150 pounds and females between 45 to 95 pounds. Currently, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has a program called Texas Nature Trackers. This program uses volunteers to track various wildlife species across Texas. The last confirmed observation of a mountain lion was in August of this year; however, there have been no confirmed sightings in Cass County. The bobcat is a notoriously elusive nighttime dweller and, therefore, hard to track their population; however, it is estimated that their numbers are between 287,000 and 1.3 million in Texas.