big cats library

Big cats like lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and cheetahs all have the distinguishing characteristic of being able to roar. Read our articles and watch videos and slideshow galleries of big cats.

Featured Article: Wildcat

Wildcat, any of the many kinds of small, undomesticated cats. Wildcats are native to nearly all parts of the world, but the name is usually applied to the European wildcat and to the North American bobcat. See more »

Cats

Cats

Cat, a meat-eating animal. The cat family includes not only the domestic cat, but also the tiger, lion, leopard, lynx, bobcat, and many others.

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Leopard

Leopard

Leopard, a meat-eating animal of Africa, Asia, and the East Indies. The leopard, which is about 4 ½ feet (140 cm) long with a 30-inch (80-cm) tail, is smaller than its close relatives, the lion and the tiger, but it makes up in speed, agility, and ferocity what it lacks in size.

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Lion

Lion

Lion, a large meat-eating animal of Africa and India. The lion is one of the largest members of the cat family.

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Tiger

Tiger

Tiger, the largest member of the cat family. Tigers live in forests, savannas, and swamps in Asia.

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Bobcat

Bobcat, or Bay Lynx, a member of the cat family found in forested, swampy, or semiarid regions of North America from southern Canada to central Mexico.

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Caracal

Caracal, a species of lynx native to Africa and the warmer parts of Asia. It is reddish-brown with white underparts, and its ears are tufted with long black hairs.

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Cheetah

Cheetah, or Hunting Leopard, an animal of the cat family. Once abundant from Israel eastwards through northern India, the cheetah is now found in the wild only in isolated areas of the Middle East and adjacent regions to the north and south.

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Cougar

Cougar, a large cat found in various parts of North and South America. In the United States, cougars are found mainly in southern Florida, along the Mexican border of Texas, and west of the Rockies.

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Genet

Genet, a small carnivorous mammal native to Africa. It is closely related to the civet and mongoose.

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Jaguar

Jaguar, the largest cat of the Western Hemisphere. It resembles the leopard, but is larger and has a somewhat shorter tail.

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Lynx

Lynx, a member of the cat family found in temperate and colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere.

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Margay

Margay, or Tiger Cat, a wild cat found in forest areas from northern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay.

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Ocelot

Ocelot, a member of the cat family. Ocelots are found from southern Arizona and Texas to northern Argentina.

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Panther

Panther, a name applied loosely to certain members of the cat family, especially to large leopards and to cougars.

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Serval

Serval, an African wildcat of the grasslands and brush country south of the Sahara.

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Wildcat

Wildcat, any of the many kinds of small, undomesticated cats. Wildcats are native to nearly all parts of the world, but the name is usually applied to the European wildcat and to the North American bobcat.

See more »

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