It is a cougar..The NY state DEC says their are no wild cougars in New york despite the fact that I saw one 200 yards from me through binoculars in a field, unmistakeable. They say they' re realeased pets but a sherriff in the same county I had my sighting reported seeing 2 of them slowly cross the road in front of her cruiser, hard to believe that both of them were released pets considering one was a great deal samller than the other perhaps even a young adult or cub. Don' t believe everything the state conserv. people say, remember if they acknowledge their existence than they must take measures to protect/ control / study them and that takes money that alot of these agencies don' t have!