Pepper spray (the kind that is used on bears) will
certainly work if you hit the cat in the face, and the wind does not bring it
back to the horse.
The usual advice is to be big and act agressive to
scare the cat off. It usually works, but there was an 13 year old
deer hunter in Missoula areal that had to shoot one last
November.
Cats are ambush hunters, as such if they are after
big game usually lie quietly on a ledge or rock or whatever to jump on the
prey. Your best defence is to watch such areas and see the cat first and
leave.
By the way, while a cat is fast for a short
distance, a horse can easily outrun a cat that does not catch in say 100
yds.
In general adult horses are bigger prey than cats
go for. In one wild horse range, the cats have learned to prey on horses,
and attack the foals. This band is one that does not need to be thinned by
the BLM.
If I were to rate the danger I would give Polar
Bears a 10, Griz an 8, Big cats a 5, and Black Bears a 3. One could argue
with the exact numbers, but I think the ranking is proper.
ps. I'm glad that my area does not have Polar
Bears (they have been known to actively stalk people), unofficial Griz are
problem enough.
PPS. I prefer a large caliber semi automatic, but
that is personal preference. Those not comfortable with firearms, have no
business with them.
Ed
Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower
Road Victor, MT 59875
