Felidae is a family of mammals in the order Carnivora, colloquially referred to as cats. A member of this family is also called a felid. In this family we find both the domestic cat, as well as the big wild cats like the lion.
Some characteristics of the felidae family:
- Cats have retractile claws, slender muscular bodies and strong flexible forelimbs.
- Their teeth and facial muscles allow for a powerful bite.
- They are all obligate carnivores, and most are solitary predators ambushing or stalking their prey.
- Some examples are: leopard, tiger, lion, jaguar, cheetah, cougar, and cat.
- Wild cats occur in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.
The largest cat species is the tiger, with a head-to-body length of up to 390 cm (150 in) and a weight range of at least 65 to 325 kg.