Difference Between Tiger and Cheetah

Tiger and Cheetah are two of the topmost predators in the jungle. Despite being feline carnivores, they’re quite different in nature, physique, speed, and many more. The tiger vs cheetah debate can go on for a while, but first, we need to figure out the key differences.

Tiger vs Cheetah: An Overview

Perhaps the main difference between these two is how they look. Cheetah has tanned skin with black dots, while Tigers have black stripes all over their bodies. They belong to different genera as well.

While Cheetah belongs to the genus Acinonyx, Tiger belongs to Panthera. Both of them are fierce predators, but tigers are much larger and stronger, whereas Cheetah are faster animals. Tigers have a loud roar, but Cheetahs are probably the only big cat that can’t roar.

What Is a Tiger?

Tigers are widely known as one of the most fierce and fearsome animals in the world. They’re territorial animals and don’t really like other animals near their territory. Tigers can swim very well, and soaking in pools of water is one of their favorite activities.

A tiger’s diet usually contains medium to large animals, including boar, buffalo, deer, and many more. Tigers are generally found in the Asian regions.

Male tigers generally weigh around 300 kgs, while the female ones weigh much less, around 170 kgs. They’re natural predators with excellent night vision. The stripes on their body work as camouflage at night. A tiger generally lives for 15-20 years. It can climb trees swiftly and can roar very loudly.

Tigers are agile and strong animals, and they’re able to land heavy and fatal blows to their prey. A tiger prefers to hunt alone.

They are a common element in popular culture and are the national animal in two countries. Tigers these days are an endangered species, as their numbers keep decreasing with every year.

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What Is a Cheetah?

Cheetah, the fastest animal on planet earth, is tan-colored and has black spots shaped as thump prints all over their skin. They’re the only member of the big cat family that can’t roar. Cheetahs are relatively smaller than all the other big cats and have a distinctive ‘tear stripe’ from their eyes to their noses.

Unlike tigers, they don’t have a muscular body, but a very flexible one that enables them to run fast. It might come as a surprise, but Cheetah can’t climb trees even after having such a flexible build.

Despite having the perfect skin for camouflaging at night, they have poor night vision. They usually hunt in packs and prey on medium to small animals.

Cheetahs don’t need to drink water too often; they drink once in three-four days at max. Unlike the confident, brave, and bold tigers, Cheetahs are relatively nervous and cautious. They’re always on the run, which makes it quite difficult for them to be caught.

An adult Cheetah weighs around 35 to 72 kilograms on average. Like tigers, Cheetahs are also an endangered species.

You may also read the article about the difference between Mule and Donkey.

Key Differences Between Tiger and Cheetah

Tigers have dark stripes over their golden-yellow coat, whereas cheetahs have tanned skin with black dots.
In terms of size and weight, Tigers are much bigger and heavier than Cheetahs.
Tigers can roar very loudly, but Cheetahs can’t roar at all.
Cheetahs are the fastest animal on earth, reaching at least 120 km/h speed, while Tigers are relatively less fast.
Tigers can climb trees and swim very well; Cheetahs can’t climb and don’t prefer to swim.
Cheetahs come with a slender, flexible body, while Tigers come with a muscular, robust, and rigid body.
Tigers are generally found in the Asian region, and Cheetahs are only found in Africa these days.
Cheetahs prefer to hunt in groups, whereas tigers are lone hunters.

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A Comparison Table of Tiger and Cheetah

Parameters of Comparison	Cheetah	Tiger
Genus	Panthera	Acinonyx
Scientific Name	Acinonyx Jubatus	Panthera Tigris
Weight	35 to 65 kg	Up to 306 kg
Habitat	Middle East, Africa	Nepal, India, South China, Tibet, Sumatra, and parts of Asia
Hunting Time	Day and night	Night
Skin Pattern	Tanned fur with large black round spots	Black stripes all over the fur
Food	Small antelope, warthog, game birds, springhare	Wild boars, Buffalos, and other large animals
Speed	Fastest animal in the world	Relatively less fast

Conclusion

Truth be told, there’s no end to the debate of tiger vs cheetah, mostly because there are no clear winners. Cheetahs are fast animals, while Tigers are one of the strongest out there. Perhaps the main difference between them is how they look. Hopefully, with this article, we’ve managed to distinguish the differences.

Since Tigers and Cheetahs are both nearing extinctions, it would be a request from us, please don’t hunt them down. They’re essential for the biodiversity of the forest, so please live and let live!