The cheetah is recognisable by the spots covering its entire coat. The fur on the spots tends to be smoother and more silky than the surrounding fur, and cheetah fur in general is more coarse than other cats. The cheetah is long and lanky, and yellow-grey in colour. Cheetahs are a unique cat in that they have long thin legs, a delicate skull and a relatively slight build.

Weight

Male 45-68 kilograms.

Female 36-60 kilograms.

Height

From the ground to the shoulder can be up to 1 metre high.

Length

112-135 centimetres from head to body.

Tail

The cheetah has a long, thick tail with spots fading into stripes at its white tip. The length of the tail is usually 63-88 centimetres.

Speed

The cheetah is the fastest land animal reaching speeds of up to 115 kilometres per hour for short distances of around 500 metres.

Life Span

10-20 years. Cheetahs in captivity live longer.

Head

The cheetah has unique markings on its head. There is a distinctive line on each side of the face which runs from the corner of the mouth up to the eye. Above the eye is a similar, much shorter line, running from the forehead to the top of the eye. Sight is the cheetah┐s most important sense. Its eyes are large and arranged to provide binocular vision, which is best for judging distance. The ears are short. The cheetah┐s canine teeth are not as long as those of other cats, but its jaws can grip prey tightly for up to 20 minutes. The cheetah has an extensive repertoire of yelps, growls, purring noises and squeals.

Body

The cheetah has a slim, but well muscled build. It possesses a large chest and narrow waist, covered in tawny coloured, short hair.

Front Limb

The cheetah┐s front limb has five digits. It walks on the tips of these digits and this helps it to run fast. The cheetah┐s claws are not retractable like those of domestic cats.

Hind Limb

The hind limb has only four digits but is otherwise arranged the same as the front limb. The hind limb contains powerful muscles which help the cheetah run fast for short periods.