The ball-tailed cat (Felis caudaglobosa) is a fearsome critter of North American folklore most commonly described as having similar traits to that of a mountain lion, except with an exceedingly long tail to which there is affixed a solid, bulbous mass for striking its prey. Tales of ball-tailed cats were common among woodsmen during the turn of the 20th century and many variations exist; two of the more prominent variants are the Dingmaul and the Sliver Cat. The latter is distinguishable for not only having a smooth-sided ball for knocking wayfarers unconscious, but in addition a spiked-side for piercing and grappling its victims. The earliest written mention of the ball-tailed cat appears in Henry Tyron's Fearsome Critters (1939).
See also Ankylosaurus, which used a club on its tail for defense
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