If your planning on a rug or a mount do yourself a favor and let the taxidermist do it for you,they know exactly how they want it done for thier work and it will prevent a bunch of extra work and visible stitches in a rug.

That's good advice.
Gut it and get it to a taxidermist asap. It doesn't take very long for the hide to start turning. They will get the state required paper work and teeth work done and preprep the hide.
I buy the tag every year but, don't hunt them. Last year a friend of mine brought one down. It took him three days to get it to a taxidermist. It was beginning to go bad.
In Novenber and $2400 dollars later he's going to have a very nice full mount.

EAT IT COUGAR MEAT THE BEST I"EV EVER HAD. BETTER THEN ANY THING YOU WILL EVER EAT YUMM YUMM YUMM!!!!!!!!!

Predatorhunter

Here is a website that tells you what cuts to make and has a diagram of where to make them if you want to rug mount a cougar. I would say keep your taxidermist's phone number on speed dial on your cell phone, and if you have any questions or doubts on how to do it, just take it straitght to him. http://www.dinostaxidermy.bizland.com/trophycare.html