IT WAS A KITTEN? So, the mountain lion the guy in Colorado killed without a weapon...it was 'less than a year old'

Greg P. | 3:34 PM on February 05, 2019

Just to update you on this story we told you earlier about the runner in Colorado who fought off a juvenile mountain lion and killed it without using a weapon, it turns out it was less than a year old:

We know the interest level in yesterday's incident between a trail runner and mountain lion is high. We are still completing our investigation and reports, and will have additional information soon.

— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) February 5, 2019

We can let you know that the runner is doing well considering his ordeal, and will need a few days to decompress before deciding if he will speak publicly. We hope you all can appreciate and respect why he needs this time.

— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) February 5, 2019

We can also confirm the lion in this case was less than a year old, and we may be able to determine age a bit more tightly in the final reports. The cat also tested negative for rabies, which is very welcome news.

— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) February 5, 2019

A kitten. He killed a kitten.

From the State of South Dakota, titled “MOUNTAIN LION IDENTIFICATION AND
METHODS OF DETERMINING SEX AND AGE”:

Newborn kittens are heavily spotted for the first three months of life, and then the spots begin to fade. Typically by six months of age the spots have almost completely faded. However this can vary. Kittens may still have faded spots when they are a year old. At two to three months, kittens typically have been weaned and begin traveling with the mother. Kittens three months old weigh approximately 15 to 20 pounds. At six months of age kittens will weigh approximately 35 to 45 pounds (see pictures on next page for examples). Kittens stay with their mother until they become independent sometime between 10 to 18 months old. Seeing a female mountain lion alone does not mean that she does not have dependent kittens.