Glossary

Big cat

An informal name for the largest wild cats, usually the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar, and often the snow leopard, cheetah and cougar too.

Also called: big cats, great cat, roaring cat

Big cat is a popular term with no strict scientific definition. Most often it means the four species of the genus Panthera that can roar: the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar. Many sources add the snow leopard, which is also in the genus Panthera although it does not roar. Some lists go further and include the cheetah and the cougar, because they are large, even though they purr and belong to other genera.

Big cats are large predators, and several have lost much of their range. Tigers, lions and snow leopards face the loss of prey and habitat, poaching, and conflict with people over livestock. Their conservation status is set by assessments such as the IUCN Red List, where species fall into categories from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.

The label is useful for rules as well. Laws on exotic pets, zoos and sanctuaries often refer to big cats and list the species they cover, so check the exact list in any local law rather than assume it matches a popular definition. This glossary does not give legal advice. Big cats are not pets, and keeping one in a home is dangerous for people and bad for the animal. Medium-sized wild cats, such as the serval or lynx, are not big cats.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Felid Any member of the cat family, Felidae, from the house cat to the tiger, and including extinct cats such as the sabre-toothed cats. Hyoid apparatus The chain of small bones and ligaments supporting the tongue and larynx, whose structure helps explain why some cats roar and others purr. Apex predator An animal at the top of its food chain that adults of the species hunt and that has no natural predators of its own. Black panther A popular name for a black leopard in Asia and Africa or a black jaguar in the Americas; there is no species of that name. Big cat sanctuary A facility that gives lifetime care to captive big cats without breeding them, trading them or allowing public contact, unlike a roadside zoo.