Safety in mountain lion country is a matter of education more than anything else. Though catching a glimpse of a mountain lion, or cougar, is a rare, if heart-pumping, experience, fewer than 12 human fatalities due to lions have been recorded in the past 100 years in the U.S.

Most people in Montana have never seen a mountain lion and those who have say they feared the unknown the most. Ironically, many people may know more about lions than any other wild animal in the West.

Though the differences shouldn't be underplayed—the lion is a large, powerful, wild animal, the housecat's descendants were domesticated some say 12,000 years ago—mountain lions and house cats share many behaviors and physical features.

Predatory behavior is remarkably similar in all species of wild and domestic cats. Cats share many physical features including remarkably sophisticated retractable claws and the rear teeth evolved into carnassial teeth designed for tearing and shearing meat before swallowing. All cats are also "pure" carnivores with a digestive system set up to subsist on fresh meat only.

Though owning a house cat doesn't make you a mountain lion expert by any means, the real experts—including Steve Torres, national known mountain lion biologist and author of the book "Lion Sense" and Toni Ruth, mountain lion research scientist at the Selway Institute in Idaho—say domestic cat owners are likely to have seen and interpreted many feline behaviors also demonstrated by mountain lions.

Most cat owners interpret their cat's behavior and moods by practicing what biologists call interspecific communication—communication by means other than words—such as observing body language. The experts say these observations could provide transferable knowledge when it comes to dealing with an encounter with a mountain lion.

To appreciate this principle, check out these behaviors shared by domestic and wild cats:

	A house cat introduced to a new toy intensely stares at it, ears up and forward, it may follow the toy as it moves across the room then hide suddenly.
	What You Know About Lions: Cats are curious, they like to check things out and often take their time determining if something is prey or just for play. A curious mountain lion is not necessarily a risk to humans.
	A house cat stalking a bird suddenly straightens up, looks around and appears indifferent after being found out. Later it is back, pursuing its prey.
	What You Know About Lions: Cat's prefer to stalk undetected. If detected, and given direct eye contact, they are likely to break off the activity, but may return to it later.
	A house cat will crouch low with tail twitching to check out a pocket-sized dog. If the dog doesn't run but makes eye contact with the cat, emphasized by a few assertive barks, most cats realize the dog is not prey.
	What You Know About Lions: Potential prey's size, vulnerability and "positioning" influence a cat's response. Direct eye contact and an assertive attitude, doing what you can to look big, and making a lot of noise are likely to help a lion determine that you are not prey.
	House cats crouch low to the ground when the game is really on, tail twitching, eyes narrowed and staring, with flattened ears— ready to pounce. When the rear legs start pumping an attack on that toy is imminent.
	What You Know About Lions: A mountain lion crouched with its tail twitching and rear legs pumping is ready to pounce. Be assertive, make a lot of noise—and fight back if attacked. Try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.

Seeing a mountain lion in the wild is sure to get your heart-pumping, but you will be more likely to relish this rare experience without incident if you take time now to study feline behavior, including that of housecats, and learn all you can about the habits of Montana's mountain lions.