With all the hype around urban cougars and their bait, it can be confusing to know what exactly defines a cougar.
It’s common knowledge that a cougar is an older woman who chooses younger partners, but what is the precise definition of a cougar?
Of course there is the ‘accidental cougar’ that falls for a much younger man and ends up in a serious relationship, but these aren’t the ladies that deserve the distinguished title of true urban cougar.
Over at Cougared.com they decided to attempt to reduce the confusion, but coming up with an easy and systematic way of defining a cougar. Read on to find out if you’re a cougar (potential or active) or if you are dating one!
It’s a numbers game
For some cougar connoisseurs it’s simply the age of the woman that is the determining factor is establishing her cougarness. In looking at age alone, many would define cougars as women between the ages of 35 and 55 who enjoy the company of a younger man. Women in this age group are in their sexual prime, and many prefer a younger man who can keep up with them.
By the same token, could a woman in her 60s still be a cougar if she wishes to date much younger men? Or how about a woman who is 28 but seduces a 19 year old guy for a fling? We say that the 60 year old is a cougar, but the 28 year old is just looking for a little fun.
The official starting age of a cougar should always be 35 or older, but with no upper age limit. Let’s give the younger 30-something women some wiggle room to get naughty with their little brother’s friends without being dubbed a cougar. Believe me – you’ll thank us for it.
Mind the Gap
Cougars must not only be 35+, they must also have a sufficient age gap with their lovers. For instance, a 50 year old woman dating a 45 year old man is not a cougar. However a 48 year old woman dating a 32 year old man is most certainly one. Ten years should be the minimum official age gap for all cougar-type relationships. However, this gap should be moved to 15 years when the cougar in question is over age 50.
Summing it up
To sum up the complex numerical world of cougar identification, when defined by age it goes as follows:
1.A cougar must be at least 35 years old, but there is no upper age limit.
2.Any cougar between the ages of 35 and 50 must be at least 10 years older than her young man to be considered a true cougar.
3.Any cougar over age 50 must be at least 15 years older than her guy to get the cougar stamp of approval.
Now that you are schooled in the practical aspects of what means to be a cougar – it’s time to go Cougar tonight!
