Al’s species goes by many names – puma, panther, mountain lion, cougar, catamount, painter, and ghost cat to name a few. Puma cubs are born with spotted coats and blue eyes. The patterned fur provides more camouflage to vulnerable youngsters in the wild, allowing them to blend in with their surroundings. As the cubs grow, they lose the spots and their eyes change color. When Al was born, his spots resembled algebraic symbols; hence his name! His full name is “Algebra” but everyone calls him “Al.”

Although Al and Tucker live together at Catty Shack Ranch, in the wild they would live solitary lives. They would be actively hunting from dusk to dawn. Pumas stalk their prey, leap onto their backs and kill by biting the neck, leading to suffocation or a broken neck. They will drag the carcass to a chosen spot, cover it with leaves and eat over a period of several days.

The one time both brothers exhibit a preference for being alone is when they are placed in their lockout dens allowing volunteers to enter and clean their habitat safely. Each cat has his preferred den and cleaning goes more smoothly if Al and Tucker enter their “own” den.

Spending time with Al and Tucker, one can hear the whole range of sounds that pumas make – they purr, hiss, growl, chirp, and yowl. You can imagine hearing such sounds in a forest at night.

Al enjoys a healthy diet of raw meat with vitamins and supplements appropriate to his species, age, and current health condition. All our animals receive regular veterinary care and are very much loved.