" Cougar, Puma, Panther, Mountain Lion, Catamount".. all the same critter.. Florida panther is a subspecies.. They would breed readily with 'western' cats but biologists hope to preserve the pure strain. I'm jealous you got to see one.

My folks saw a jaguarondi just a couple hundred yards from their home in Chassowitzka (FL).. Hadn't been for google - I'm not sure I'd ever figured that one out..