Puma vs. Cheetah — What's the Difference?

Puma and Cheetah are two different species of large cats adapted to their unique lifestyles and environments. A Puma, also known as a cougar or mountain lion, is a versatile and adaptive cat primarily found in diverse habitats across the Americas. It is known for its agility, strength, and ability to adapt to various terrains, from mountains to forests. In contrast, a Cheetah is a specialized hunter native to the grasslands of Africa and some regions of Iran, distinguishable by its slender body, large nostrils, and distinctive black “tear marks” on its face, adapted to run at incredibly high speeds to catch prey.

The Puma is renowned for its powerful legs and strong muscular body, enabling it to be an excellent climber and jumper. It primarily preys on deer and smaller mammals, employing a mix of stealth and power to hunt. Unlike the puma, the cheetah has a light and aerodynamically built body, specialized for speed, capable of reaching speeds up to 58-64 miles per hour in pursuit of antelopes and gazelles. Its hunting strategy relies heavily on its extraordinary speed and keen eyesight during the day to spot and catch prey.

In appearance, the puma has a uniform tan or tawny coat without any significant markings, a compact face, and round pupils. On the other hand, the cheetah has a distinctive coat patterned with black spots, a small head with high-set eyes, and tear-like streaks on its face, with its physique optimized for speed over strength, and its pupils are small and vertically slit.

The lifestyle of a puma is highly adaptable, it can live in various habitats and is known for its solitary and territorial nature. It has the largest range of any wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from the Yukon in Canada to the Southern Andes in South America. Contrarily, cheetahs have a more specialized lifestyle, primarily inhabiting savannas and open areas, their populations are mainly found in sub-Saharan Africa, with a small, vulnerable population in Iran.

To sum up, while both the puma and cheetah are remarkable carnivores, they have adapted differently to their environments, the puma being a versatile, powerful predator capable of living in diverse habitats across the Americas, and the cheetah, a speed specialist with a distinctive appearance adapted to the open terrains of Africa and parts of Iran.