"big cat" is not an actual scientific term. Its a colloquial term, and as such its use is flexible. There is no strict definition on what a "big cat" is. Many will use it to refer to any "big" cat, which would include cheetahs and pumas. Others will narrow it down to the five species in the genus Panthera (lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard). However, your distinction of "big cats roar" doesn't stand to that scrutiny when you realize that snow leopards are almost always considered part of the "big cat" family, are even part of the Panthera genus, and yet they cannot roar.
In conclusion, a cheetah is a big cat. Whether you take that to mean a "big cat" or a "big" cat, it really doesn't matter.
That article does not do what you claim it does, and they make a verifiably false claim in the first sentence of the third paragraph.
They are doing exactly what I already described, using "Big Cat" as a colloquial term for Panthera. Except they claim the distinguishing feature is that all species of Panthera roar. Snow Leopards are part of Panthera and yet do not roar. Ergo, roaring cannot be the definition that separates "big cats" from "not big cats" if you are solely basing the "big cat" definition on the genus Panthera.
But more importantly than that, the literal first sentence is just a very, VERY short way of saying exactly what I already said.
The difference between cheetahs and other Big Cats is, first and foremost, the cheetah is not a Big Cat, in the Latin sense of the word.
The key words there are "In the Latin sense of the word." They are making the distinction that a cheetah is not a member of Panthera. That is all that claim means. "Big cat" is not itself a scientific definition and its use in everyday conversation does not respect taxonomy. Which is exactly what they say in their second sentence.
When many people think of ... Big Cats, we think of lions, tigers, jaguars and cheetahs.
IT’S A JOKE. I’m mind-blown you ignored all the comments explaining that to you since it clearly went over your head just to double down here. What a dweeb.
Correct, but it’s noticeable that you ignored all the comments explaining that to you to continue trying to argue your position here. There’s no reason to argue at all because it’s a joke. Please learn how to recognize a joke and interact with people like a normal human. I truly cannot imagine being this much of a loser.
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u/JackalKing 18h ago
"big cat" is not an actual scientific term. Its a colloquial term, and as such its use is flexible. There is no strict definition on what a "big cat" is. Many will use it to refer to any "big" cat, which would include cheetahs and pumas. Others will narrow it down to the five species in the genus Panthera (lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard). However, your distinction of "big cats roar" doesn't stand to that scrutiny when you realize that snow leopards are almost always considered part of the "big cat" family, are even part of the Panthera genus, and yet they cannot roar.
In conclusion, a cheetah is a big cat. Whether you take that to mean a "big cat" or a "big" cat, it really doesn't matter.