Edgy baboons prick their ears and bark uneasily as the rasping circular-saw growl of a leopard disturbs the African night. Prior to dawn the large cat will call on its stealth and speed to obtain within throttling range of its quarry.

Within the order Carnivora – a group of mammals with flesh-shearing cheek teeth (carnassials) – is the family Felidae, which contains nearly 40 species of cat. Members from the Felidae are found in all continents except Australia and Antarctica.

All wild cats are hunters, and even though numerous consume carrion; they depend on their killing skills for survival. Lithe bodies and strong legs allow them to ambush prey and then make a brief dash or pounce for the kill. They generally employ stealth, a silent approach and a leap – using powerful muscles within the hind legs and flexible back. Most cats are very fast over a short distance, but give up if their quarry runs for much more than a few metres.

Numerous cats hunt at night and have big whiskers which assist their sense of touch within the dark. They have big, forward-looking eyes set in front of the face. This helps them judge distances accurately as they leap on to prey. Their hearing is also great but their sense of smell is not. While scent is utilized in marking territory, cats don’t follow scent trails after prey.

A cat’s toes carry sharp claws, normally sheathed in the pads of the foot to ensure that they are not blunted as the animal runs, but they could be pushed out to hold and tear food (these are known as retractile claws). The cheetah is an exception – it has short, blunt claws. Captured prey is usually throttled with the cat’s large and powerful jaws.

Sometimes big cats cover their prey’s muzzle with their own mouth for the same suffocating effect. Cats are usually divided into two groups – large cats and little cats. They’ve numerous similarities and some differences. For example, large cats lie down to eat and small cats feed in a crouched position.

Large cats lie with their front legs stretched out although small cats tuck them under their body. Little cats can’t roar but can purr continuously, although large cats can roar but not purr continuously. The pupils of small cats’ eyes are vertical slits while big cats tend to have round or oval pupils. Obviously, big cats often are bigger, even though there are exceptions. For instance, the cheetah is a big cat but it is smaller than a puma, which is classed as a small cat.