It can. And sometimes results in cyclists and hikers being stalked.
That doesn't usually end with an attack though.
A grown man fighting back should send a cougar running.
There are some rare instances where that isn't true. This may be one, so I'm curious what was different.
If the cougar attacks, fight back aggressively and try to stay on your feet.
They way I imagine it, you're never on your feet in this situation. Maybe I'm overestimating the cat.
I would guess yes and no.
Maybe not overestimating its ability, but overestimating the cats commitment.
Back a cougar into a corner and attack it, and you will have a bad day.
But, fighting back will usually send it running if it can.
There have been times I've heard about(anecdotal) where a starving cat tries anyway, but typically they don't want a fight.
I've never had to fight one, so I don't know who would win. But I've chased them away easily.
I grew up in cougar territory, and rarely ever saw them. Generally you see signs of them, but not them. They were considered a potential, but unlikely hazard to children, and a much bigger hazard to pets, but not adults.
I think of them like bad-ass deer. A deer could fuck you up in a heart beat. Don't kid yourself.
But we don't usually fear them. They don't want to fight.
Ok, a cougar is more of a potential threat, but it's the same idea, to me.
If they're on bikes riding by, that may say "deer" to a cougar.