You know how we use "rat", "mole", "cougar", "snake" all the time in television ... Where did their usage come from? What made us choose "rat" to describe a contemptible person who betrays or deserts friends or associates? Why did we chose the animal "mole" to describe a spy (such as a double agent)?
What about the mountain lion, the cougar, got us to use it to describe a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man
Does cougars always hunt younger prey?
snake: an unpleasant person who cannot be trusted