We have had mountain lions in town (Pocatello/Chubbuck) intermittently over the last 10 years. Sometimes they go "hunting" down the canals that are routed between backyards. That gives them easy access to the yards and pets. The most recent case in Chubbuck involved a mountain lion under the porch of a home near Reservation Rd and Yellowstone Ave. Animal control managed to remove it. We often have moose, elk and deer walking around town, so there is "wild" food available in addition to pets and people. Some livestock too as there are still farms with cows, sheep and horses scattered around town.
My wife isn't always armed, but she has the option to do so. She works as a police dispatcher, so often has armed officers very nearby.