Big cat

The term "big cat" is sometimes used to mean any of the five living members of the genus Panthera (the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard), or may refer to any member of the cat family that is considered "big", such as cheetahs and cougars. All cats are members of the Felidae family, sharing similar musculature, cardiovascular systems, skeletal frames, and behaviour. Both the cheetah and cougar differ physically from fellow big cats and, to a greater extent, other small cats. As obligate carnivores, big cats are considered apex predators, topping their food chain without natural predators of their own. Native ranges include the Americas, Africa, and Asia; the ranges of the leopard and tiger also extend into Europe, specifically in Russia.