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BIG CATS

CATS

Do you have a cat?

If so, you know that they are beautiful animals with sleek fur.

They have strong bodies and can move quickly and easily.

All cats are meat eaters.

They are skillful hunters with sharp teeth and claws.

There are almost forty kinds of wild cats.

They come in many different sizes, colors, and patterns.

Cats live in most places around the world.

They come from every continent except Australia and Antarctica.

BIG CATS, SMALL CATS

How can we tell big cats and small cats apart?

Small cats have a hard bone that connects their tongue to the roof of their mouth.

In big cats, part of that bone can bend.

As a result, big cats can roar, but they can’t purr like house cats.

Three cats in this book — cheetahs, mountain lions, and snow leopards — can purr, but they can’t roar.

Clouded leopards can’t purr or roar.

Scientists often group these four cats with big cats anyway.

Let’s learn about what makes each big cat special.

TIGERS

Tigers are the largest and most powerful cats.

They are also one of Earth’s most beautiful animals.

Their bold black stripes and reddish-orange fur set them apart from all other animals.

Many different kinds of tigers used to live in many parts of Asia.

Wild tigers now only live in certain small areas.

Tigers are endangered — in danger of disappearing completely.

Only about three thousand wild tigers are left.

LIONS

Lions are the only social cats.

They live in a group called a pride.

Lions are the only cats that can kill animals larger than themselves.

They can do this because they hunt in a group.

Females do most of the hunting.

Lions once lived throughout Europe, Asia, and most of Africa.

Now they only live in parts of Africa and one forest in India.

They live in grasslands — flat, grassy areas without many trees.

JAGUARS

Jaguars live in forests.

They are the only big cats that live in the Americas.

They live in Mexico and in Central and South America.

They used to live in the southwestern United States, too.

A jaguar’s spots are called rosettes.

Rosettes look like little flowers.

This pattern on their fur helps jaguars hide while they are hunting.

Leopards and snow leopards also have rosettes.

BLACK PANTHERS

Some jaguars are all black.

They are called black panthers.

Other black panthers live in Asia and Africa.

They are black leopards.

Both types of black panthers have spots, but the spots are hard to see.

LEOPARDS

Leopards live in Africa and southern Asia.

They live in forests, grasslands, and rocky open areas.

Leopards look a lot like jaguars, but they are smaller and lighter on their feet.

Leopards are not as bold as jaguars.

Leopards tend to run from bigger animals, such as lions.

Jaguars do not run from large snakes or other animals.

They may even attack.

CHEETAHS

With their long legs and slender bodies, cheetahs are built for speed.

They are the fastest land animals in the world.

Cheetahs can run over 60 miles per hour for short periods of time.

Cheetahs look different from other big cats because they have solid black spots rather than rosettes.

They also have “tear marks” on their faces.

Cheetahs once lived throughout most of Africa and southwestern Asia.

Now they mainly live in parts of eastern and southern Africa.

MOUNTAIN LIONS

Mountain lions live in mountains, forests, grasslands, swamps, and even some deserts.

They live anywhere that offers enough food and places to hide while they are hunting.

Mountain lions are mainly active from dusk to dawn.

Mountain lions used to live throughout the Americas except for north [...]