Non-fiction from Children's Author Lisa Wilkinson
Cougar Cubs
by Lisa B. Wilkinson
Copyright © 1997, 2006 by Lisa B. Wilkinson
Three hungry cougar cubs mew and cry. The cubs crawl around and around looking for their mother. They crawl over and under each other. Where is Mother?
Their mother is gone. Mother cougar is hungry, too. She has not eaten since her cubs were born ten days ago. She must eat to provide milk for her babies.
The kittens are afraid to be alone. But they will be safe. The babies' spotted fur hides them in the grass nest.
Here comes Mother! She mews and whistles telling them she is back. Mother cougar nuzzles and licks her babies. Then she lies down to let them nurse. When the babies are full of warm milk, they fall asleep.
Now, the cougar cubs are two months old. They are bigger and can follow their mother. She leads them away from the nest. She takes them to the place she has hidden some food. Mother cougar scratches away leaves and twigs. She uncovers a deer. The kittens sniff at the dead animal. They paw at the food. They snarl and pounce on the deer.
Mother cougar eats her fill of the meat. Her babies eat. Then she covers the deer so other animals cannot find it. She lies down a few yards from the kill, but her babies want to play. One cub pounces on his mother's tail. Another cub stalks and leaps on a bug. Watch out! The third cub jumps on the one with the bug. They growl and wrestle on the ground. This type of play teaches the cubs how to hunt.
The kittens grow fast. They lose their spots and their fur turns tawny like their mother's coat. They are almost as big as their mother. But they still need her protection.
Mother cougar barks and snarls to warn her children of danger. Another cougar is nearby. It is a large, two hundred pound male cougar.
The cubs climb a tree. Mother cougar snarls and slaps the air with her huge paws. The large male cougar is not in the mood for a fight. He lumbers off. The cougar family is safe, this time.
The cougar cubs are old enough to hunt. If they do not catch something to eat, they will go hungry. The cubs quietly stalk a mountain goat. When they near the prey, the cougars run and lunge. Large, sharp teeth and claws help the cougars catch and kill their prey. They will share the food then cover it like their mother has taught them.
It is time for the cubs to leave their mother. They have learned their lessons well. Each cougar will go its own way. It will stake out its territory and live and hunt alone in the wild.