I seriously doubt that mountain lions, constantly hungry, are always on the prowl for a human snack - I am not a wildlife biologist, but I understand that their typical attack on their usual prey, deer in the western states, is to pounce from above and behind, typically breaking the neck and piercing the jugular vein. This suggests to me that you will never see the one that is going to have you over for dinner. Most predators do not indulge in frontal assaults - wasteful and inefficient.

I do consider what hazards I might confront when I step out of my door and being attacked by a mountain lion is #687, well behind more likely hazards. Of course this ranking can change depending upon the circumstances. I would agree that cougars are not just big, harmless pussycats and that one should be very cautious in their presence.