Over the last few weeks, we, as always, have been treated to some truly special sightings. None more so than regular viewing of the Makhatini Female and her three cubs. In a landscape dominated by larger predators, watching this remarkable mother navigate the open grasslands of Londolozi while raising not one, but three cubs, is a privilege we don’t take for granted. She’s a symbol of resilience and precision, embodying the grace and fragility of her species in every move.

It was during one of these sightings that a guest turned to me and asked, “Are cheetahs true cats?” It’s a deceptively simple question, but one that opens up a fascinating conversation about evolution, anatomy, and the uniqueness of the cheetah.

The Cat That Doesn’t Roar

The simplest place to start is with a sound, or rather, the lack of one. Unlike lions or leopards, cheetahs can’t roar. Instead, they chirp, purr, hiss, and even yelp. This is because cheetahs lack the specialised larynx and hyoid structure that allows members of the Panthera genus (lions, leopards, tigers, jaguars) to produce those deep, resonating roars.

Roaring is one of the defining characteristics of the big cats, so the cheetah’s exclusion from this vocal club raises the question: does that make them less of a cat?

The Claws That Don’t Retract

Then there are the claws. A closer look at the tracks of a cheetah reveals something telling: the claw marks are nearly always visible. Unlike leopards, lions, or African wild cats, which keep their claws sheathed when walking, a cheetah’s claws are semi-retractable. This is not a sign of inferiority, but rather an adaptation—a trade-off for speed.

Note the claws of this cub. While cheetahs will often use fallen trees and termite mounds to gain a height advantage in the open grasslands, having semi-retractable claws leads to a substantial decrease in their tree-climbing ability.

Those claws, combined with a long, muscular tail for balance, oversized nasal passages for airflow, and a lightweight frame, are all engineered for one thing: acceleration. A cheetah’s anatomy makes it the fastest land animal on Earth, but it comes at a cost. They lack the brute strength of lions or the stealthy tree-climbing prowess of leopards. They are, in every sense, a speed specialist.

So… Are They True Cats?

Taxonomically speaking, yes, cheetahs are true cats. They belong to the family Felidae, just like lions and leopards. However, they are in their own genus, Acinonyx, which sets them apart from both the big cats (Panthera) and the small cats (Felis). Think of them as a cousin who looks the part but follows their own set of rules.

They can purr like a house cat but sprint like no other. They thrive in the open, where other cats prefer cover. And in the case of the Makhatini Female, they can raise three cubs on a reserve where lions and hyenas are never far away.

That, in itself, may be the most cat-like thing of all: adaptability, often against the odds.

Fragile Genetics, Fierce Survivors

Beyond their visible adaptations lies a deeper, less obvious challenge—genetics. Cheetahs suffer from what scientists call a genetic bottleneck, a severe reduction in genetic diversity thought to have occurred thousands of years ago. Today, this means cheetahs are extremely inbred, making them more susceptible to disease, lower fertility, and developmental abnormalities.

In a world where space and safe habitat are shrinking, this genetic vulnerability puts even more pressure on an already endangered species. Their survival is not just about outrunning predators or avoiding conflict—it’s about navigating a fragile legacy that goes right down to their DNA.

Cheetah sightings remain rare but unforgettable. Each one reminds us how finely tuned these animals are to their environment, how much they differ from their feline relatives, and how important it is to protect the niche they fill. Watching the Makhatini Female stand tall on a termite mound, scanning the horizon as her cubs mimic her every move, is not just a wildlife moment—it’s a study in evolutionary perfection balanced on a knife’s edge.

So yes, they are true cats—but as always in nature, the truth is layered with nuance. And perhaps no cat carries that complexity more gracefully than the cheetah.