A mountain lion killed by a jogger who vividly described choking it to death was a young cub that weighed around the same as a male border collie, officials say.
The animal, which Tavis Kauffman killed by standing on its throat, was likely an orphan weighing about 40lbs and was between four to five months old according to a new report.
A necropsy, the animal equivalent of an autopsy, showed the cougar's age based on the condition of its teeth and the results confirmed Mr Kauffman's account of the struggle, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement.
"The cause of death was determined to be ... blunt trauma and strangulation," the agency said.
Mr Kauffman recounted his tale at a news conference and said on February 4 he was jogging on the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, about 65 miles northwest of Denver, when he heard pine needles rustling.
He turned to see a cougar staring at him and "was bummed out to see a mountain lion," he told reporters.
The environmental consultant raised his arms and yelled but the cougar pounced and clamped its jaws on his right wrist then slashed his face and neck with its claws.
During the three-minute struggle, Mr Kauffman said he unsuccessfully tried to dislodge the cat by hitting it with a rock and stabbing it with sticks.
However, he was able to get on top of the cat and place his foot on its throat until it stopped thrashing.
Mr Kauffman suffered multiple lacerations but no permanent injuries.
Veterinarians who performed the necropsy could not determine the gender or precise size of the dead cat, because other animals had fed on the carcass by the time rangers reached it, but surmised the cougar was likely a male that weighed between 35 pounds and 40 pounds.
Parks and Wildlife spokesman Jason Clay said mountain lions normally stay with their mothers for 12 to 18 months before striking out on their own and two other cubs believed to be from the same litter were later trapped.
The cats were taken to an animal rehabilitation facility.
Mr Kauffman could not be reached for comment on Friday.
