Charlene's jacket suggestion is also a good one. I do show people
how to use this in my talks. This would be used to thwart an attack
*before* it has happened. The weapons are still recommened IMO because
most often you will not see it coming.
Cats are ambush hunters and generally do not pounce unless they know it's
a sure thing and the prey was unsuspecting. The exception to this is to
attack you out of defense if they feel they have no option to defend
themselves (not offensively as in hunting) when they've been seen. So,
be sure that you don't *cause* an attack by confronting a cat that you
see! Just avoid it and keep riding. Odds are the only one you will
have to *deal* with is the one on your back and never saw. Knife in a
holster or pepper spray is better than nothing at all, but fists work
too! Stuff one down the cats throat for a gag reflex if you can, so that
they will drop you. Poke your fingers in their eyes. Do a
"tittie-twister" anywhere on the skin you can grab if that's all you can do in
the panic. Almost every survived attack did not see it coming.
Generally, any pain you can cause the cat will put enough doubt in its mind to
abandon this strange prey and not risk injury (when you are a solitary hunter,
injury can mean sure death of starvation before you heal). Especially if
there is abundant deer. The only reason they probably pounced is because
of a great opportunity to hone their skill, not worth dying for in their
mind.
