Tigers and lions are big cats that, at first glance, don't resemble the kitty that lives at home (although there are some cats that physically resemble jaguars). The big guys have a wild appearance and habits that are somewhat different from the affectionate way of domestic cats. However, both are part of the same family: the Felidae, which brings together at least 38 subspecies around the world.

So even with the differences, they are still mammals, carnivores and digigrades (walking on their toes), as well as natural-born predators. The two also share some physical characteristics, such as five front toes and four hind toes, as well as similar snouts, tails and fur.

You can't deny that they have the same elegant features and striking eyes that fascinate many people. In this article, we've listed what cats, tigers and lions have in common, as well as the differences between them. Check it out.

Anatomy of a big cat and a domestic cat is similar

To begin with, Felidae are divided into two subfamilies:

• Pantherinae: lions, tigers, jaguars, among other larger and wild animals;
• Felineo: a group that includes smaller felids such as lynxes, ocelots and domestic cats.

Even so, the two share some genetic characteristics, and both the cat that looks like a jaguar and the jaguar itself have a keen sense of smell and hearing, as well as the incredible ability to see in low-light environments. The flexible anatomy of these animals is also not very different. Both have short, pointed ears, outlined eyes, fur around the body, short legs, among others.Diversity is also part of this genetics: there are currently 71 cat breeds recognized by The International Cat Association, six subspecies of tigers and 17 of lions. Only the big cats are at risk of extinction.

Documentary shows that big cats and domestic cats have the same quirks

"The Soul of Felines" is a documentary produced by National Geographic, in partnership with researchers Beverly and Dereck Joubert, who for 35 years have been unfolding about the lives of big cats. But this time, the object of study was a little different: in the filming they observed the day-to-day life and behavior of Smokey, a spotted and domestic cat, which appears to be quite different from those thatexperts are used to.

The conclusion was that home-raised and feral cats still have a lot in common. One of them is the way they play: both are focused on a specific object and simulate a hunt with that target. Obviously, home-raised cats are less aggressive. But hybrid cats, descendants of ferals, can denote more strength.

Cats and tigers share 95% of the same DNA, research says

You've surely come across a cat that looks like a tiger and wondered what they have in common. Well, apparently they are closer than we think. The scientific journal Nature Communications published in 2013 a study called "The tiger genome and comparative analysis with lion and snow leopard genomes".snow leopard) that analyzed the genetic sequence of the big cats.

They assembled the genomes of the Siberian tiger and the Bengal tiger and compared them to those of the African lion, white lion and snow leopard. They then compared both genomes to those of the domestic cat. One result showed that tigers and cats have 95.6% of the same DNA.

Large cats and small cats self-clean with their tongue

It seems that kittens and big cats have the same hygienic habits, and tongue baths are part of their routine. The rough bristles on the tongue of cats and big cats are effective for brushing and cleaning their dense fur. This is also a way for them to throw off possible predators. But how so? Well, when there is no "trace" of the environment in the cat's mouth, there is no "trace" of it.Even if there is no apparent danger, domestic cats still perpetuate this practice. Not to mention that they love cleanliness and especially like to feel clean.

The only difference is that, unlike kittens, tigers and lions don't usually suffer from hairballs. Researchers are still trying to figure out the causes of this.

Lions and tigers also revel in the effects of cat grass

It's very funny to watch the antics of cats in front of the famous catnip. Interestingly, some wild felines also do not escape the effects of this aromatic plant - and a very cool case shows this.

On Halloween 2022, the tigers and lions rescued by the South African sanctuary Animal Defenders International were given a fun surprise: pumpkins filled with catnip! If the vegetable alone was a pleasant treat for them to taste, the action power of this plant was the icing on the cake. They started playing and rolling around, and were super relaxed right after all the fun. The scenesof that moment are just below, take a look.

Cats and big cats (such as lions and tigers) have the same nocturnal habit, among other customs

Spending the day sleeping and the night awake is not exclusive to mongrels or tiger-like cats. In fact, this is a practice inherited from wild cats, which take advantage of the darkness to attack prey. In compensation, they need long rests during the day and usually sleep from 16 to 20 hours.

Another common feature is their solitary habits, which means they are used to independence and hardly need support when hunting. This has also strengthened the territorialist personality characteristic of felids, who mark their territory with urine or by sharpening their nails - their claws have glands that release a particular smell, showing that they are in charge there. The same happens with the felidThe habit of hiding waste is also inherited from tigers and lions, which serves as a way of marking territory and also to avoid leaving traces.

But that's not all, if you notice, even today domestic cats "hide" around. This is another custom inherited from the wild that is perceived in everyday life, with the kitty hiding under furniture, blankets and inside cardboard boxes, as if it were a cat's den. Thus, they feel safe and can still catch a victim who did not notice their hiding place. The preference forhigh places is also another wild habit that serves as protection, refuge and a wide view of the environment.

Although similar, cats and big cats differ in some ways

The evolution of the genus of felids that resulted in Felis Catus added to the contact with man caused several mutations in the genomes of this subspecies. Domestication is one of the main responsible for this. After all, it was from it that cats became good companions and more affectionate with humans - aspects that are not part of the behavior of big cats. But these are not the only ones.only behavioral differences.

• The aggressiveness and wild behavior of the domestic cat are less pronounced;
• The diet is also different - big cats are still purely carnivorous, while domestic animals feed on food and snacks;
• Height: while cats range from 25 to 30 cm, a tiger reaches up to two meters;
• Purring is unique to cats. Lions and tigers do not have the same ability to vibrate their larynx. On the other hand, domestic cats cannot growl;
• Big cats don't "knead buns" either. This way of showing affection is unique to cats and starts from kittenhood.

Cat evolution explains similarity between cats and tigers

The history of felids is not yet certain, as records are very scarce. But the largest known ancestor of cats is Pseudaelurus, which originated in Asia more than ten million years ago. From it, new genera emerged. The first was Panthera, close to lions and tigers. They were large and appeared ten million years ago, and had totally wild customs. InNext came the smaller Pardofelis, which went to the African continent, followed by Leopardus - both getting smaller and smaller.

Then came the Lynx, which spread across several continents (including South America), followed by the Prionailurus, which remained in Asia, 6.2 million years ago. Finally, the Felis (the closest to domestic cats) emerged together with the Felis Silvestris, just over three million years ago. Including the Bengal, a breed of cat thatlooks like a jaguar, it is the result of the cross between the domestic and these wild felines. With each evolution, the felids were losing size, which facilitated the domestication of man.

Domestication of cats helped separate them from big cats

During the ten million years of cat evolution, some of the subspecies of felids had contact with our ancestors, who already fed themselves by growing grain and barley. This planting attracted several rodents, which naturally prey on felines, who began to inhabit these areas to hunt them. Hence, contact with man begins, who in return offered food to catsSince then, they have been increasingly domesticated and this culture has spread around the world through the adoption of cats. Even so, there are still big cats around the world and wild cat breeds in Brazil.