I'm thinking that who ever was hunting the cat, shot it (injuring or killing it) and then the donkey got his licks in.

 

 

actually, donkeys and mules are quite the threat to predators like mountain lions and coyotes. They are well-armed (teeth and hooves), fierce, and strong. People use them to guard their herds for a reason.

You can see in the first pic the mountain lion is twisting towards the donkey while being tossed in the air by its tail, clearly fighting for its life.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/mulelion.asp

 

That's a donkey? Looks so much like a horse, not the donkeys I've seen.

 

Dayummmm, I thought Jack Bauer from CTU was a bad ass!!

 

Judging by the empty saddle.......I'd say the mountain lion was riding the ass and fell off and that the donkey, in the first picture, is obviously trying to swing it back up into the saddle.

 

it's a mule - sterile donkey-horse cross, so it looks like bits of both.

 

that's what you call a serious ass kickin'