What Am I

I can move slow or fast leaving all in my dust I am good at blending in you can walk past not seeing me Sometimes I give you a scare as I shoot out and off I can climb trees but prefer the ground When having a drink I sometime have a dip solitary is mainly my life I want it no other way My call for my young is a soft cough or two which carries for miles bringing them running A final clue I give to you I like the open plains the hotter the better as it slows my prey I go after the smaller things and can twist on a dime leap a hill or small bush I kill by smothering Most of my food I lose to larger predators so I have to hide and eat very fast Which is a problem as I am drained by the chase needing time to recover I often end up getting just a few scraps but at least my young have once more eaten So please tell me do what the heck am I? written 03/11/2014 contest: What Am I sponsor Poet Destroyer I chose Thing