10 Biggest Prehistoric Cats Ever Lived in The World

Pets4Good - 10 Biggest Prehistoric Cats Ever Lived in The World - In the prehistoric era, gigantic cats were at the top of food chain. They were more vicious than predators nowadays.

There are 10 Biggest Prehistoric Cats Ever Lived in The World that could be seen by humans many years ago.

1. American Lion

American Lion (Panthera leo atrox)

The American Lion was bigger than modern lions. This lion can weigh up to 470 or 500 kgs. It was able to take on large preys. Although it is still doubted, this lion seemed to be solitary hunters.

2. The Cave Lion

Cave Lion (Panthera leo spelaea)

This gigantic lion could weigh up to 300 kgs or more. During the last Ice Age in Europe, this lion was one of the most dangerous and powerful predators.

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According to the cave paintings and a few statuettes found, this lion had no mane. It was similar like modern tigers.

3. European Jaguar

European Jaguar (Panthera onca gombaszoegensis)

This cat did not belong to the same species as modern jaguars. Since nobody knows what it looked like, scientists assumed that this cat probably looked much like a modern day jaguar or maybe a cross between a lion and a jaguar. It was a huge carnivore. It could weigh up to 210 kgs.

4. The Giant Cheetah

Giant Cheetah (Acinonyx pardinensis)

This prehistoric cat had the same genus as modern day Cheetah. It also looked very similar, but it had much bigger body. Its body can weigh at around 120-150 kgs. This cat also could run fast. It had longer legs and bigger heart and lungs.

5. Giant Jaguar

Giant Jaguar (Panthera onca augusta)

Giant jaguar belonged to the same species as modern jaguars. They had much bigger body, and longer limbs and tails. There are two subspecies of prehistoric giant jaguars. They are Panthera onca augusta, from North America, and Panthera onca messembrina, from South America

6. Homotherium

Scimitar Toothed Cat (Homotherium serum)

This cat could be found in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. This cat was adapted to fast running. They was usually more active during the day.

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Homotherium had very long forelegs and shorter hind legs. This cat is sad to be larger than modern Siberian tigers.

7. Machairodus Kabir

Large Saber-Toothed Tiger (Machairodus kabir)

This cat looked so much like huge sabertoothed tigers. The proportions of its body was similar with tiger’s. It also had a long tail, but it was unknown whether this cat had stripes or spots.

8. Pleistocene Tiger

Pleistocene Giant Tiger

Pleistocene tiger was found somewhere in Asia about 2 million years ago. This tiger could prey on a large amount of herbivores. This tiger was larger and bigger than a modern tiger nowadays.

9. Smilodon

Saber-Toothed Cat (Smilodon fatalis)

This cat is also known as sabertooth tiger. Smilodon is the most popular cat of 10 Biggest Prehistoric Cats Ever Lived in The World. It was not very active and quick as the modern tiger. However, it was so powerful. Smilodon had stronger, thicker limbs and necks and long claws. Smilodon’s fangs could reach 30cms in length.

10. Xenosmilus

Xenosmilus (Xenosmilus hodsonae)

This cat is a relative to Smilodon or sabertoothed tiger. However, it had shorter and thicker teeth. Its teeth had serrated edges to cut through flesh.

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Xenosmilus killed its preys by biting off a huge chunk of flesh from them, and waited until the preys bled to death. This cat had shorter, stronger limbs and a powerful neck. Xenosmilus was as huge as adult male lions and tigers.