The Cat That Changed America: The true Hollywood story of P22 mountain lion

By Tony Lee Moral

Based on a true story with an imaginative retelling for young readers;

P22 mountain lion is born in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains outside Los Angeles, California.

He spends his childhood learning to h

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sabana Publishing
• Release date: Oct 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781838211509

Book preview

Acknowledgements

The Cat That Changed America was written to introduce young readers to the inspiring story of P22 mountain lion and to raise awareness for the challenges facing California’s wildlife.

I’d like to thank those who took part in the documentary film on which this book is based; Beth Pratt, Miguel Ordenana, Gerry Hans, Jeff Sikich, Sherry Ferber, Kim Lamorie, Susan Gottlieb, Natalie Riggs, Clark Stevens, Duane Tom, Alex Rapaport, Jeremy Wolf, and Joel and Kian Schulman from Poison Free Malibu.

I’d especially like to thank Save LA Cougars, Poison Free Malibu, the National Park Service and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County for their support in the documentary and for bringing to light the importance of protecting California’s wildlife.

CHAPTERS

1 – Being Born

2 – Hunting

3 – Dispersal

4 - Friends & Enemies

5 –Incredible Journey

6 – Deadly Crossing

7 –Racket the Raccoon

8 –Gang of Coyotes

9 – Walk of Fame

10 – Coming Home

Chapter One: Being Born



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P22 opened his blue eyes and curiously looked around his new home. Everything seemed so big and exciting. Green leaves all around him. Trees and trees and even more trees!

A rough tongue licked his face lovingly. He looked up and saw the brightest and most beautiful eyes gazing back at him.

Welcome to the world, little one, said his Mama warmly, cleaning his damp fur with her sticky tongue.

Mama, he said in a half purr and half growl, as he nuzzled against her warm body. It was love at first sight.

Meow, what about me? demanded a high-pitched voice.

P22 turned and saw another cub jostling for space. It was his brother, and he had the same tawny fur speckled with dark spots. Except the spots on P22 were a little bigger and rounder, and his eyes were even bluer.

I was born first, said his brother, pushing his way towards his mother’s belly. Which means I get to feed first.

P22 didn’t argue, he was content to nestle against his Mama. Both kittens were now only a few hours old, and started suckling greedily on their mother’s belly. P22’s brother being only a few minutes older had claimed his place, bumping his younger brother down the queue.

Mama mountain lion looked down lovingly at her two cubs. She was a young mom, just over two years old, and this was her first litter. The next year would be spent rearing her sons through to adulthood.

After feeding, P22 closed his eyes and went to sleep, never feeling more contented than he was now.



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When P22 was a few months old, his Mama took him and his brother on their first hunting trip. Both cubs were eager to be going far away from the den, and everything was new and exciting.

You must be very quiet, and watch where you step. The fallen leaf litter makes a crunchy sound, so we don’t want to alert the deer, she instructed. Step on the stones and don’t make a sound. Do you understand?

The cubs nodded obediently. P22 did his best to concentrate on stepping on the candy colored pebbles and not the crisp leaves, using the soft pads of his paws to cushion each footfall.

Yes Mama.

They were ravenous and hadn’t eaten for a couple of days, so were hungry for some tasty deer meat. P22 could feel the knot in his stomach like a bloated soccer ball.

Their mother skirted around the edge of the woods, keeping low against the bushes, carefully avoiding the parts that didn’t have any trees.

Ssshhh! Mama hissed suddenly. Get down.

The three hunkered down in a ditch, trying to flatten themselves against the soil and leaf litter, ears pressed tightly against their faces.

Suddenly a group of humans, who P22 had never seen before, walked into view along the trail. They were laughing, joking and yelling and making such a noise that a couple of scrub jays flew up in alarm.

P22 thought that any chance of catching dinner tonight was slim, as all the deer must have been startled away. Those humans really were bothersome.

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