red tiger
An obsolete North American term for the puma (also known as the mountain lion or cougar).
Definitions
An obsolete North American term for the puma (also known as the mountain lion or cougar). The name presumably references the animal's tawny, reddish-brown coat and its fierce predatory nature. The term is now entirely historical and is not used in modern wildlife, hunting, or popular culture contexts. Of interest primarily to historians of American English, naturalists studying historical terminology, or readers of early American literature and frontier accounts.
The trapper's journal described an encounter with what he called a red tiger, a creature that had stalked his camp for three nights.
Comments
(US, Canada, obsolete) The puma.
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- red lion82%
An old-fashioned North American term for a puma — also known as a mountain lion, cougar, or panther. The 'red lion' name references the tawny reddish-brown coat of these large cats, drawing a poetic comparison to the lion of Old World heraldry. While the term is mostly historical and rarely used today, it reflects the creative naming conventions early settlers used to describe unfamiliar American wildlife through familiar European references.
- red lion67%
(US, Canada) The puma.
- coon cat56%
An informal American term for the Maine Coon, one of the largest domesticated cat breeds, known for its bushy tail, tufted ears, shaggy coat, and dog-like personality. The 'coon' portion of the name refers to the raccoon — a nod to the Maine Coon's ringed tail and semi-wild, outdoorsy origins in New England. While the shorthand is used among cat fanciers and breeders, it should be noted the word 'coon' carries a serious racial slur meaning in other contexts, so usage warrants care.
- tiger cat56%
Any of several species of felids.