Cheetahs are unique felines known for their exceptional speed, but their vocalizations also set them apart from many other large cats. These agile predators communicate through a diverse range of distinct sounds, which play a significant role in their social interactions and overall behavior.
The Purr and Chirp: Core Cheetah Communications
Cheetahs frequently communicate through purring, a sound similar to that of a domestic cat but often much louder and more resonant. This purr typically indicates contentment and is often heard during bonding moments between a mother and her cubs, or among cheetahs resting together. It serves as a social reassurance, strengthening familial and group ties within their relatively solitary lives.
Another highly characteristic cheetah sound is chirping, which resembles a bird’s high-pitched call. Mothers use this distinctive sound to locate their cubs in tall grass or dense vegetation, ensuring the family unit stays together. Chirping also serves as a greeting between individual cheetahs, signaling excitement or curiosity when they encounter one another.
Sounds of Warning and Alarm
When a cheetah feels threatened or agitated, it may resort to growling, a low, rumbling sound that signals aggression or discomfort. Hissing is another warning sound, often produced when a cheetah feels cornered or is preparing to defend itself against a perceived threat. Both growls and hisses are short-range warnings, typically used to deter an immediate aggressor or to express extreme irritation.
Cheetahs also employ a unique vocalization known as stutter-barking or yelping, which consists of a series of short, sharp barks. This sound primarily functions as an alarm call, alerting other cheetahs to the presence of a predator, such as a lion or hyena, or any significant danger in their vicinity. It can also be heard when a cheetah is in distress or feeling particularly vulnerable.
Why Cheetahs Don’t Roar
Unlike “true” big cats such as lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards, cheetahs do not possess the anatomical structure necessary to roar. The ability to roar is linked to the presence of an elastic vocal fold and a two-piece hyoid bone in the throat. These features allow the larynx to vibrate more freely, producing the deep, resonant roar characteristic of many large felines.
Cheetahs, however, have a fully ossified, or hardened, hyoid bone, which restricts the movement of their larynx. This anatomical arrangement is similar to that found in smaller cat species, including domestic cats. Because of this structural difference, cheetahs are grouped with non-roaring felines in terms of their vocal capabilities, despite their considerable size.
Their communication relies instead on their diverse repertoire of purrs, chirps, growls, and barks.