Cheetah or leopard?
How to tell them apart
A leopard is heavier and more muscular, with rosettes rather than solid spots, and has no black tear lines down its face.
A cheetah has solid round spots rather than rosettes, black “tear” lines from eye to mouth, and a slimmer, longer-legged build.
Quick answers
They differ on 2 of the 8 quick answers: dangerous, awake when.
| Question | Cheetah | Leopard |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? differs | Can be | Yes |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? differs | Daytime | Night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | No | No |
At a glance
| Question | Cheetah | Leopard |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Africa | Africa, Asia |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Scrub, Desert | Forest, Rainforest, Grassland, Scrub, Mountains |
| Size | Large | Large |
| Length differs | 1.1–1.5 m plus tail | 92–183 cm plus a 66–102 cm tail |
| Height differs | 67–94 cm at the shoulder | – |
| Weight differs | 21–65 kg | 20–72 kg; big males up to 91 kg |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives | Alone | Alone |
| Lives for differs | 10–12 years | 12–17 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims differs | No | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Cheetah
The fastest land animal: a lightweight, long-legged cat built for short sprints across open ground. Fewer than 7,000 adults are left in the wild.
Everything on the cheetah page
Leopard
The most widespread wild cat, a spotted, secretive hunter that survives almost anywhere with cover: rainforest, savanna, mountains and semi-desert across Africa and Asia.
Everything on the leopard page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Side by side.