My thoughts here
Funny you would ask this.
This is one of my main concerns as I Turkey Hunt here in Southern California. The forests here are TEAMING with big cats.
California is where the leftists have sucessfully duped the populace into banning ALL take of Cougars. The results have been people and pets being killed, the distruction of the BigHorn herds and an over population of the big cats. Until some left wing enviro-terrorist or hollywierd wacco is mauled, the law will remain as it is now!
That said...
The people that have been mauled and killed by these cats have been taken from BEHIND! The cat pounces and swiftly clamps it's powerful jaws around the neck of it's victim and kills it in moments. This is nearly impossible to defend against.
In the forest, I always put a tree up to my back both for cover and defense.
I carry a Glock 23 (.40 S&W) for attack and my 12 Gauge for Turkeys.
I have a 380.
I would not hesitate to recommend it as a great self defense weapon if you did not have anything larger or if it was for a small person. Remember that 3 well placed small rounds are much better that one LARGE miss. Hollow points YES!! For the .380 I recommend Gold Dots. 7 in the mag, 1 in the chamber, Cocked and locked.
As far as using a .41 or .44 mag revolver, I wouldn't recommend it for defense against a cat! Use it for hunting! Remember that you are NOT hunting cats here, you are defending your life! You will ONLY pull the auto if attacked, just like on the street.
This season I caught up with a couple California Fish and Game wardens on my way back to my car after Turkey hunting. They looked at my Glock and asked what I had it for. I simply said "Cats" at which time they knew exactly why I was packing. Nothing more was said.
I have no interest in killing a Mountain Lion. I have no intention of being the guest of honor at his dinner party either.
I was in HIS Mountain and he IS a Lion. Get it?
I'll HUNT with a .41, I defend myself with an auto and hollow points.