Read Peter Jackson's expert answers to your questions on the following topics:
Tiger size
Tiger types
Tiger travel
Cat aggression
Cat DNA
Cheetah classification
Lion differences
Cat speed
Tiger tolerance
Tiger defenses

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Q: On Cheetah Classification

According to some scientists, the cheetah should not be classified as a "big cat" because it purrs and has never been known to roar. What's your take on this subject matter?

A: "Big cats" is not a scientific classification. But in nonscientific literature, cheetahs and pumas, which do not differ much in size to some leopards, are sometimes called "big cats" along with lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and snow leopards. In scientific taxonomy, lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars are placed in the genus Panthera, as their voice box produces roars. The snow leopard was once included with them, but it does not roar. Moreover, it was found that there are differences in its voice box from those of the roaring cats, and so it has its own genus, Uncia. The cheetah has never been classed scientifically as a big cat. Its canid (dog-like) features led to it being classed separately from all other cats as Acinonyx jubatus, but recent genetic research has established that it should be grouped in the same lineage as the puma and jaguarundi.

Specialists have described vocalizations of the following large, non-roaring cats:

Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) The snow leopard does not roar like the tiger and leopard. Its main call is a loud tonal cry like an intense, lengthened meow, which is relatively high-pitched and sometimes piercing. Less intense forms can be clearly identified as mews. During friendly encounters, snow leopards produce the soft snorting sound known as "prusten." Cubs meow. When angry, snow leopards growl, snarl, hiss and spit.

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) Cheetahs have a wide range of mewing calls, often termed chirps. These vary in tonal quality and intensity, most being short and very high-pitched for an animal of this size. Intense forms of this vocalization sound almost like yelping. Cheetahs also produce a peculiar atonal stutter call, the term reflecting the impression it makes on a human listener. They purr like a domestic cat, but lower in pitch and considerably louder. During confrontations, they growl, hiss and spit. When hunting, the cheetah gives an "ugh" sound to keep the cubs away, then chirps to call them to the kill. Young cubs whistle or give bird-like chirps and twitters; they purr deeply and give cat-like meows when licking each other's faces.

Puma, cougar, mountain lion (Puma concolor) Pumas have a wide range of mews of variable intensity, tonality and pitch, the high-pitched ones sounding like whistles. At mating time, females produce a loud, screaming call, which earned the cat the name of "mountain screamer"; this is an intense and lengthened derivative of the general felid mew. Pumas can purr like a domestic cat but considerably louder. They also utter a "wa-wa" just like that of the Asiatic golden cat.