Phantom Cat

Rubens, Study of a Griffon and a Mountain Lion

     The module B2 also contains several dangerous "normal" animals that don't appear in the Blue Book, including huge dogs (page 8, jewel merchant's quarters), adders (page 10, bank vault) and a puma (page 13, mad hermit). Here is a standardized version of Gygax's puma for Basic/OD&D, re-christened "phantom cat" (after the real world phenomenon):

Phantom Cat

Move: 150 feet/turn
Hit Dice:  3 + 3
Armor Class: 6
Treasure Type: nil
Alignment: neutral
Attacks: 3
Damage: 1-6 hit points each

    Solitary "stalk and ambush" hunters including pumas, jaguars and other more mysterious large cats such as the onza. They roam large territories in the deep woods, swamps or other wild areas, yet are seldom seen. Due to their speed (18 dexterity) they attack first in each round. In the first round of combat they will leap on an opponent from a high place (tree branch or cliff), gaining a +2 to hit on each attack for the first round. Thereafter they will fight normally from the ground unless given the opportunity to return to a height and leap again.