They look like tears, the mascara-esque markings running from a cheetah’s eyes. It’s one of the ways you know that you are not looking a leopard in the face, which is usually a good thing if lack of distance is an issue. Cheetahs are anyway more agreeable, at least to human kind, with attacks in the wild apparently unknown. Their paws are more like dog than cat paws, though they do have a vicious dew claw which they use to snag and trip their prey, mostly small antelope of the Thomson’s gazelle variety.
Female cheetahs, like leopards, lead solitary lives except for mating or cub rearing. There can be six cubs in a litter, which places high demands on a mother’s hunting skills. The cubs are weaned at three months, but at around six months she starts teaching them hunting techniques, catching and releasing young gazelles for them to practice on. Even so they remain dependent on her for another year, the family’s hunting range extending as much as 400 square miles.
The species is of course famed for its astonishing speed – up to 70 mph (112 kph) at full tilt and with a stride of 23 feet (7 m). Though it’s hard to imagine this particular cheetah has any thoughts of imminent ‘lift off’. She simply lay there, quite ignoring me, while I leaned out of a truck took her picture. Though after a bit she did get up and demonstrate the ‘cat stretch’. Oooh ye-ees. Feel that spinal column flex and lengthen.
Tish Farrell 
Great shot and also learnt something new today about Cheetahs
Happy to hear that, Alison.
Looks kinda scary.
Such a beautiful cat, and their solitary life fascinates me.
Yes, that’s quite hard to think about really – so much aloneness – between cub litters of course.
Septimus wouldn’t cope!
All of the big cats are wonderful creatures.
They are!
Has anyone ever tried teaching yoga to cheetahs? I think she would be a natural.
Ha! I’m thinking she could teach me 🙂
Isn’t she gorgeous? I think these are my favourite cats 🙂 🙂
Just purr-fect I’d say!
Wow!
My absolute favourite cats. Love that stretch you captured. We had the chance to view some close up in Namibia. I just wanted to reach out and stroke them! I didn’t of course. I must look up the photos.
I gather from Elspeth Huxley accounts etc that cheetahs are very tameable. Would love to see the Namibian cheetahs.
fascinating facts about cheetahs. thank you! the full stretch is awesome! 🙂
She’s setting us such a good example!
They’re so beautiful and being a sprinter, I can appreciate their speed. Love the stretching photo.
janet
That stretch makes me want to stretch and stretch too. In fact I’ll pop off and give it a go 🙂
I knew nothing about cheetahs. I’ll remember this, not to be afraid of them, for next time I’m lucky enough to get to Africa. They are such beautiful animals.
Alison
They are indeed very lovely creatures.
Just beautiful!
Were you recently on safari?
No, Lulu. These photos are from 1990s when we lived in Kenya. I do my safari-ing on YouTube these days.
Beautiful
I am glad to see Cheeta. I would like to see forest animals. The photoshoot was great. Thanks you very much share hidden knowlege.
Thanks, Stefan.