7 Unique Animals Like Cheetahs (with Photos)

In a foot racing, we know who will win, even if the lion is the the king of the jungle.

There are 38 species of large cats, including the fastest land mammal in the world, the cheetah. Despite this, the cheetah is not regularly included in the elite class known as the “seven big cats,” which also involves lions, tigers, jaguars, and other members of the Panthera family.

This is due to the fact that cheetahs are in a class by themselves.

The animals like cheetahs is the only one living member of the Acinonyx group.. Cheetahs are categorized as huge cats that belong to the family Panthera.

The vocalizations of large cats are one of the primary ways that members of the Panthera group differ from those of non-Panthera groups.

Although they can’t purr like a housecat, lions, jaguars, tigers, and other members of the Panthera species are famous for their powerful roars.

Like pumas, cougars, and other animals like cheetahs are able to purr but cannot roar.
Cheetahs are ferocious hunters with a develop running, even in silence. When assaulting their victim, they are nimble, cunning, and merciless.

They effectively establish themselves as an apex predator by utilizing their muscular, sleek physique, acute vision, and sharp claws.

Although they belong to a different class, there are a few large cats that are not Panthera that are comparable to cheetahs.

Here are a few animals like cheetahs:

1. Cougar

Scientific name: Puma concolor
Quick summary: A big cat of the Americas

You might not initially believe that cheetahs and cougars are related. Ultimately, the cougar lacks many of the cheetah’s characteristic markings, and the two creatures inhabit different regions of the globe.

While animals like cheetahs can be found in some regions of Africa and the Middle East, cougars are native to the Americas.

Generally speaking, cougars are not much smaller than cheetahs. Male cheetahs average between 27 and 37 centimeters in height, while adult male cougars measure between 24 and 35 inches tall at the shoulder.

Although the cougar is recognized by many names, cheetahs are primarily known by their single nickname. The cougar holds the title of being the animal with the most names in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Despite their strength and menacing nature, neither the cougar nor the cheetah is a major threat to people. Both of them would rather avoid human contact and will only attack in dire situations, such as when an animal is about to go hungry.

For both cougars and cheetahs, litter sizes typically average three cubs. Female cougars will nurture their young until they are between 20 and 24 months old, just animals like cheetahs moms do.

2. Jaguarundi

Scientific name: Herpailurus yaguarondi
Quick summary: Comparable physically to a cheetah, but smaller

Both Central and South America are home to jaguarundis. Jaguarundis are unable to fully retract their back claws, just animals like cheetahs do. This may be due to their genetic similarity to both cougars and cheetahs.

The jaguarundi’s appearance would lead one to believe otherwise. They resemble cheetahs in length and sleekness, but they are smaller. Jaguarundis have relatively shorter legs, so at the shoulder they are only around 14 inches tall.

The jaguarundi’s fur can be either black, grayish-brown, or reddish-brown, depending on its habitat. The rear of the jaguarundi’s ears are the same color as the rest of its fur, which sets it apart from other large cats.

The jaguarundi hunts primarily throughout the day, just animals like cheetahs. From sunrise to dark is when they are most active.

This serves as a means of avoiding rivalry and confrontations with larger nocturnal predators for both of these cats.

3. Caracal

Scientific name: Caracal caracal
Quick summary: A large-eared cousin to the cheetah

The animals like cheetah and caracal share a common ancestral range. The grasslands of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East are home to caracals, which are little cats with large, tufted ears.

Similar to the cheetah, the caracal is a swift and nimble hunter. Its hind legs are robust and muscular, enabling it to leap almost nine feet into the air or execute a tremendous pounce to capture its prey, even if it cannot move as quickly as a cheetah.

Animals like cheetahs and Caracals are solitary animals that do not dwell in social groups. Every animal has a preference for alone hunting.

For the duration of their development, the females of each species of cat create tiny family groups with their cubs, while the males and females only join together for mating.

4. Ocelot

Scientific name: Leopardus pardalis
Quick summary: A spotted cat of the Americas

With their spotted coats, ocelots resemble with animals like cheetahs more than cougars or caracals in appearance. The only other large animal with a black stripe that looks like a tear stain running down from the inner corners of its eyes is the cheetah.

Although animals like cheetahs and ocelots may adapt to a variety of settings, ocelots are more at home in thick foliage, dense woods, and lush jungles.

Conversely, cheetahs prefer wide, well-lit environments like grasslands and savannahs.

Ocelots hunt a variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals. In addition to attacking their victims on land, they have also been observed attacking them in trees and water. Ocelots are excellent climbers and swimmers.

Because ocelots were hunted for their exquisite pelts, the population of these creatures saw a sharp fall fifty years ago.

In the late 1980s, import and trade prohibitions were placed on all pelts from spotted cats. The population of ocelots has increased since then.

5. Serval

Scientific name: Leptailurus serval
Quick summary: A long-legged cat

Similar to the animals like cheetahs, the serval is the sole member of its genus that still exists. The serval is a strong, sleek, and medium-sized cat. This kind of cat has proportionally longer legs than other cat species.

The serval is a stunning cat with gold fur that has black markings and patches.

The serval’s back of head to its shoulders are covered with three or four black strikes. The animal’s back and legs are covered in dots of varying sizes as the stripes fade.

The serval hunts by itself and pursues its prey both during the day and at night. It mostly inhabits areas where there are little prey, such as insects, frogs, birds, rodents, and snakes.

To catch their prey, servals can jump over 6.5 feet into the air. For both animals like cheetahs servals , the period of pregnancy lasts around three months. However, serval cubs mature more quickly.

By the time they are twelve months old, the litters of one to four young are old enough to go it alone.

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6. Chinese Desert Cat

Scientific name: Felis bieti
Quick summary: A striped cat from China

The Chinese desert cat inhabits a rather small area on the Tibetan Plateau. It is also referred to as the Chinese mountain cat and the Chinese steppe cat.

The Chinese desert cat is not commonly observed in the low-lying desert regions, despite its name. They are more likely to live on the grasslands at the margin of the plateau and the higher-elevation alpine steppe.

The Chinese desert cat hunts at night. Its favorite foods are birds, reptiles, and rodents.

The Chinese mountain cat, weighing in around 16 to 20 pounds, may resemble a big house cat instead of an apex predator animals like cheetahs.

7. Eurasian Lynx

Scientific name: Lynx lynx
Quick summary: The largest of the lynx family

The largest of all lynx species, the Eurasian lynx stands between 22 and 30 inches tall at the shoulder. This cat’s fur is longer, fluffier, and tufted than the animals like cheetahs.

However, the Eurasian lynx’s coat is spotted, just like that of a cheetah. Despite not being as big as a cheetah, the Eurasian lynx is nonetheless a fearless and active predator.

It does not hesitate to take down prey that is far larger than it is, especially moose, reindeer, roe deer, and white-tailed deer. The Eurasian lynx may survive for several days on the meat from a single deer.

The native habitat of the Eurasian lynx spans a wide area, including Asia, the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, and Northern and Central Europe. However, because of hunting, habitat degradation, and fragmentation, its population is declining.

Twins are typically born to mothers of Eurasian lynxes. Greater sizes of litters are not usual. About 10 months old, the babies are ready to leave their mother’s side since they mature faster than cheetah cubs.

Conclusion

Despite being the world’s fastest land mammal and a skilled hunter, animals like cheetahs are rarely found in packs alongside lions and tigers among other large cats. The cheetah, like the cougar, the Eurasian lynx, the ocelot, and the other big cats mentioned here, is a non-Panthera animal and cannot roar like a powerful lion. It does, however, have a kitten-like purr.

While stalking their prey, these svelte and cunning apex predators are swift and vicious, but they often prefer to live alone animals like cheetahs. They blend into their surroundings and surprise their prey by using the hues of their fur, which can be patterned or solid.

Every continent on Earth, with the exception of Antarctica, is home to them.