I was hoping some Western SDopers may know. What does a running cougar look like? Does it kinda pounce as it runs? Might it ever “sprint” without the “pouncing” (wavelike, up and down) action? What about a not-yet fully matured one? Might their canter be different? Any links to a detailed website on this? (Canter might be the wrong word here…sorry! Can’t think of the right term for how one struts.)
In my experiences it all depends on how many drinks she has in her.
I’d recommend reading The Beast in the Garden.
Or, if I am running on high octane…check with your local Mercury dealer for details. Actual mileage may vary. …But seriously, folks!
This is all I’ve got:
Jumping and Sprinting:
Height at which its hind legs can propel it forward: 30 feet
Height at which its hind legs can propel it straight up from a standing position: 18 feet
Average sprinting speed: 35 mph
** F.c. vancouverensis are native only to Vancouver Island. **
Cool! Well, at a distance. I’m on Vancouver Island, you see.
Forgive me if this sounds ignorant, but are Cougars significantly different than other big cats in this regard? I know they’re solitary hunters, unlike African lions, but still…
Some youtube vids:
Mother Cougar vs Grizzly Bear
Cougar Cub vs Black bear
Cougar Domination (warning - annoying music, but some good shots of a cougar running)
The Cougar
A friend of mine was stalked by a cougar for about 500m through the bush until he reached the safety of his vehicle. My friend pretty much pooped his pants the whole way. That’s all I have to add. 
Cougars run like lions. Full out, both front legs hit the ground together, then the back legs. I guess that could be described as a pounce.
I never want to know what a running cougar looks like in person. For some reason, I’m scared spitless of them, and I’ve never encountered one. But I’ve lived in small-town BC and the NWT growing up, and fear of them seems to be well-planted in my psyche. I’ve encountered bears (even fed one by hand when I was a child. I didn’t know any better, and the squirrels had all run off) and they don’t give me the fear that cougars do. On Vancouver Island, we do have the occasional human/cougar encounter, with unhappy results, usually. Where I live now, a cougar was roaming a few years ago. My husband is paranoid about letting our dog (very small) off-leash outside, even when I’m with her–she’s a little crunch-n-munch to a predator, I agree. The fact that there is a CRD park beyond the back yard means there are critters in the woods, too.
I wish them–cougars–well, and I wish them much wilderness for their own. The more we take over undeveloped land… well, that’s another rant for another day.
Why do you want to know about how they run?