A successful generalist predator , the cougar will eat any animal it can catch , from insects to large ungulates ( over 500 kg ) . Like all cats , it is an obligate carnivore , meaning it need to feed exclusively on meat to survive . The mean weight of vertebrate prey ( MWVP ) that pumas attack increase with the puma 's body weight ; in general , MWVP is lower in areas closer to the equator . Its most important prey species are various deer species , particularly in North America ; mule deer , white @-@ tailed deer , elk and even bull moose are taken . Other species such as the bighorn and Dall 's sheep , horse , fallow deer , caribou , mountain goat , coyote , pronghorn , and domestic livestock such as cattle and sheep are also primary food bases in many areas . A survey of North America research found 68 % of prey items was ungulates , especially deer . Only the Florida panther showed variation , often preferring feral hogs and armadillos .