Big Cats 24/7: Fun Facts About Cheetahs

In Season 1 of “Big Cats 24/7,” we met scrappy, smart cheetahs who managed to survive in a world ruled by lions. Now, lightning-fast Pobe is back with a new challenge on her paws: raising two adorable cubs.

Season 2 of “Big Cats 24/7” is full of challenges and successes for our clever kitty. Fortunately, she’s already raised cubs to adulthood, so she can teach us a thing or two about what it takes to survive on the Okavango Delta. Let’s dash into some fast facts about cheetahs!

When we first catch up with Pobe in Season 2, we find that she has two cubs, both between three and five months old. Only a quarter of cheetah babies survive to this age, so she’s already beating the odds. But with enemies like hyenas and the fast-growing Xudum Pride on the horizon, she’s got her work cut out for her.

Cheetahs Can Have a Single Litter with Multiple Fathers

While in heat, female cheetahs will mate with 2-3 males, resulting in cubs that may have different fathers within the same litter.

Cheetahs are believed to be the only big cat species that demonstrate multiple paternity in litters. However, domestic house cats will also display this behavior. Bonus fact! 

Newborn Cheetahs Are Roughly the Size of a Baseball

Cheetahs can have litters of up to four cubs. When these babies are born, they weigh as little as five ounces. That’s like holding a furry little baseball! The cubs have indistinct spots that make them look gray, and their eyes don’t open until they’re two weeks old. Even then, their opaque peepers don’t see very well, so they need all the protection they can get.

Moms like Pobe keep cheetah cubs in secluded nests and move them frequently to avoid predators, prevent flea infestations and stay close to prey. When they’re about six weeks old, cubs begin to follow mom on daily travels, often hiding under a tree or bush until she calls them. 

Cheetah Moms Bring Cubs Live Prey

Cheetah moms aren’t just responsible for keeping their cubs safe from threats like hyenas and lions, but they also have to teach their cubs to be effective hunters. And what’s more effective than a live demonstration? Cheetah moms are known to bring their cubs weakened prey for them to hone their hunting skills on. 

Cubs typically begin accompanying their moms on hunts at around seven months old. However, they’ll stay with their moms and continue improving their hunting skills until they’re around 18 months old. Once they reach this stage, they typically leave home and strike out on their own, although some brothers may stick together and form lifelong coalitions. 

Cheetahs Spend Up to 90% of Their Time Sleeping

As adults, cheetahs spend most of their time — up to 90%! — sleeping in the shade of large trees. They’re diurnal, meaning they hunt mainly during the early morning and afternoon. This allows them to avoid nocturnal competitors like lions and hyenas. 

Unlike the Xudum Pride, cheetahs are mostly solitary. Males may form small coalitions with littermates or unrelated wanderers, which gives them a better chance at protecting territory, taking down bigger prey and avoiding danger. And how do they all identify one another? Spot patterns are different for every individual, so cheetahs can tell each other apart.

Cheetahs Can Spot Prey From Almost 1.5 Miles Away

Cheetahs often use higher ground like termite mounds for better vantage points, helping them spot prey from almost 1.5 miles or 2 kilometers away. The tear marks under their eyes help reduce glare, allowing them to spot prey even in the blazing sun. They rely on that good sight, which is approximately as good as a human’s with a pair of binoculars, to spot and stalk their prey. If the cheetah makes a catch, they suffocate it by clamping down on its windpipe. 

These cats are great hunters — one of the most successful species on the savannah, in fact. They snack on everything from antelopes and young warthogs to game birds and rabbits. 

Cheetahs May Have Up to 10% of Kills Stolen by Lions or Hyenas

While around 40-50% of cheetah hunts are successful, these cats also have one in 10 of their kills stolen by other hungry predators, so competition is fierce. The problem is that cheetahs are the underdogs of the savannah; even baboons can chase a cheetah off of a kill.

This becomes more of a problem when a female has cubs to feed. Males provide no support or care for their babies, so it’s the mom’s responsibility to hunt almost every day to feed the family. Fortunately, great hunters and mothers like Pobe have the skills necessary to put dinner on the table.

Cheetahs Are the World’s Fastest Land Animal

The world’s fastest land animals can accelerate from zero to 37 miles per hour in just three seconds. They can slow down from 37 to 9 miles per hour in just three strides — and each stride is almost 30 feet (7 meters) long! It’s the cheetah’s ability to twist and turn sharply that makes it such an effective hunter, as it allows cheetahs to keep up with prey as they zig-zag and try to escape. 

And it’s not just adults like Pobe that are lightning fast. Cheetah cubs can run nearly 50 miles per hour at just six months old — so they’re fast learners in more than one way!

See Pobe in Action

If you want to see Pobe and her cubs hunting, exploring and even cuddling, you’ve come to the right place. “Big Cats 24/7” is back with even more action and adventure starring your favorite kitties.

Catch up on Season 1 and get ready for Season 2 of “Big Cats 24/7” on PBS! 

Want to learn more about the fascinating lives of these fast cats? Check out our cheetah fact sheet!