The Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife contacted us about 4 orphaned cougar cubs. Outlaw is one of a litter of three who were reported as orphaned. There was also a fourth single kitten about three months older than the group of three. They had put a camera on the litter of three and after 5 days their mother had not returned. The WSDFW had to assume that she would not be returning. They are unable to successfully rehabilitate cougars, and so they called us to see if we would be able to take them. We drove to Washington to bring the litter of three and the other cub home.
Outlaw was the only male of the cougar litter. He was always the most outgoing and friendly of the group and he continues to be to this day. Outlaw is also the most talkative, so if you are out and about and you hear the chirps, it is most likely Outlaw talking to everyone on property. He has quite the lungs and voice and enjoys talking so much he attempts cross species communication. We have yet to tell him the other cats don’t understand him.
Outlaw, his siblings, Scarlet and Sage, and the fourth cougar cub, Malice, continue to be very close. They can often all be found in one big “cuddle puddle” on one of their high platforms. They live in one of our newest enclosures which has a very large playground and tons of high ramps and platforms for them to run around on.
Outlaw and Malice are particularly close, often cuddling just on their own. Outlaw is a purr machine and usually happily greets his human friends. His purrs are extremely audible. Cougars are the biggest of the “big cats” to purr. Tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars do no have the physical vocal structure to purr so weight wise cougars are the biggest with the physical capacity to purr. Outlaw is, like his best friend Malice, a very food motivated cat. This gives us the opportunity to provide basic veterinary care without having to use anesthesia.
He is a playful gorgeous goofball and we are blessed to be able to care for him from a young age.
