HeyBub wrote:

....
With cats, it's not the capture - or even the possible meal - it's the
chase! All cats have a chase reflex; if you run into a mountain lion in the
park remember this: If you run, you merely die tired - the cat WILL chase
you.


With a mountain lion, you are strange enough that he is not sure whether
you are his dinner, or he is your dinner.
If you run from him, you have just told him.