Why Is a Cheetah Not a Big Cat?

TIL Cheetahs are not considered a big cat because they lack the ability to roar. Cheetahs, the last living member of the Acinonyx genus, lacks the floating hyoid unlike lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards.

Why isnt a cheetah a big cat?

The feature that distinguishes the Big Cats from the rest of the Felidae family is their ability to roar because they have a floating hyoid bone and a specially adapted larynx. Cheetahs don't have this adaptation and, as a matter of fact, make more of a chirping sound and are also known to purr.

Is the cheetah considered a big cat?

But some—the lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard, jaguar, lynx, and cheetah—are big. These big cats are among the most beloved and recognizable animals on the planet. Most big cats are members of the genus Panthera. Small and medium cats, including housecats, are member of Felis.