Cougar, which when beheaded, represents Shiva’s consort (4)

I believe the answer is:

puma

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'cougar' is the definition.
(synonyms)

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for puma that I've seen before include "Large American cat" , "Large American feline resembling a lion" , "American wildcat" , "Mountain lion" , "American wild cat" .)

I've seen this clue in The Hindu.

Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app