Who Did the Doo-Doo?

Scat Chat: Cougar Clumps

Cougars are elusive creatures, and their bathroom habits reflect their private nature. Unlike some animals that leave their droppings out in the open, cougars prefer to keep their “business” hidden in dense underbrush, rocky crevices, or on a quiet forest trail. This helps them stay under the radar of both prey and rival predators.

But when they do leave scat in more visible places—like trail junctions, ridgelines, or near kill sites—it’s often a bold signal. Male cougars use scat as territorial markers, sometimes alongside “scrapes” — piles of dirt and leaves they kick up with their hind feet to announce their presence.

Like other predators, a cougar’s scat is typically long and tubular, about 5 to 9 inches long, about 1 inch in diameter, and often packed with hair, bones, and feathers that couldn’t be digested. Its strong, pungent smell is a clear signature of this bold yet elusive predator.