The cheetah, recognized globally as the fastest land animal, possesses a unique vocal repertoire that often surprises those familiar only with the sounds of lions or tigers. Unlike its larger relatives, the cheetah cannot roar. Its sounds are much closer to those of a domestic house cat, utilizing specialized vocalizations for communication across the vast African savanna. These sounds are a blend of gentle affirmations and sharp warnings, offering insights into their social behavior.
The Signature Sound: Chirps, Meows, and Purrs
The most distinctive and recognized cheetah sound is the “chirp,” or “churp,” which sounds remarkably similar to a large bird. This tonal sound is frequently used for long-distance communication, particularly by a mother calling her cubs or by individuals attempting to locate one another across open territory. The high-pitched, resonant quality of the chirp allows it to carry effectively over great distances, enabling communication even when the cats are out of sight.
Another sound is the purr, which signals contentment or affection, often heard between a mother and her young or during social bonding among siblings and coalition mates. Cheetahs are considered “purring cats” because they produce this sound continuously during both inhalation and exhalation, a trait shared with smaller felids.
Cheetahs also produce meows or yelps, especially when distressed, fearful, or seeking attention. A particularly loud version, sometimes called an “explosive yelp,” has been documented as being audible to humans from over a mile away. Vocalizations are broadly categorized into pulsed sounds (purrs and growls), tonal sounds (chirps and yelps), and noisy sounds (hissing).
Contextual Vocalizations: Hisses, Growls, and Stutter-Barks
When a cheetah feels threatened or is engaged in a dispute over food or territory, its vocalizations shift to more aggressive, noisy sounds. The hiss and growl are common feline warning signals, often produced when a confrontation is imminent or when the animal is startled. These sounds are combined with visual displays, such as crouching low to the ground.
As a threat intensifies, the cheetah’s agonistic response may culminate in a spitting sound, frequently combined with striking the ground with a front paw. This combination of sound and action is used to deter potential predators or competitors, such as hyenas.
A specialized sound is the “stutter-bark,” a rapid series of short, sharp vocalizations often directed at a perceived threat or rival. In male cheetahs, this stutter-bark is also linked to reproductive behavior, triggering increases in reproductive hormones in females. This hormonal link suggests the male’s vocalization acts as a biological cue, promoting ovulation days before mating takes place.
The Anatomy of a Non-Roarer
The reason a cheetah cannot produce a deep, resonating roar lies in the specialized anatomy of its throat, specifically the hyoid apparatus. The hyoid is a set of small bones that supports the tongue and larynx, or voice box. In the cheetah, this structure is fully ossified, meaning it is made of solid bone, much like the hyoid found in domestic cats and other small felids.
This solid, bony structure allows the vocal cords to vibrate rapidly, generating the continuous purring sound on both the inhale and exhale. Roaring cats, such as the lion, tiger, and jaguar, have an incompletely ossified hyoid, where bone is replaced by a long, flexible ligament. This flexible ligament allows the larynx to drop lower and stretch, enabling the production of a low-frequency, powerful roar. However, this structure restricts their ability to purr continuously. The cheetah’s fully bony hyoid places it firmly in the category of “purring cats,” giving it a vocal range distinct from the powerful roars of the genus Panthera.