What is a Saber-Toothed Cat?

Saber-toothed cat,” also called saber-tooth cats or saber-tooth tigers, is a blanket term to describe numerous species of cat or cat-like animals that independently evolved long, impressive and formidable yet fragile canine teeth as long as 20 cm (8 in). Saber-toothed cats evolved in the mid-Cenozoic, about 40 million years ago, and lived up until the late Pleistocene extinctions as recently as 9,000 years ago. The late Pleistocene extinctions, during which many animals were wiped out including mammoths, dire wolves, short-faced bears, and numerous others, is thought to be attributable to human hunters.

Most saber-toothed cats were members of the family Felidae (subfamily Machairodontinae), the true cats, but other saber-tooth cat-like animals were found in the families Hyaenodontidae (hyenas), and Nimravidae (an extinct order of mammalian carnivores), as well as two families of marsupial carnivores. The most famous and prototypical example of a saber-toothed cat was the species Smilodon, which lived in north and south America between 3 million and 10,000 years ago, and of which many fossils have been found.

At 200 kilograms (450 pounds) and with a short tail, powerful legs, muscular neck long canines, and a bear-like build, Smilodon would have been a ferocious predator. Saber-tooth cats have competed with dire wolves and other canine predators over the numerous large prey animals that lived in the Americas during the Pleistocene, such as ungulates and bison. Predators such as the saber-tooths likely contributed to the extinction of the South American "Terror Birds" two million years ago, when the Isthmus of Panama connected North and South America during an event called the Great American Interchange.

Smilodon californicus, a species of saber-tooth cat, is known as the state fossil of California. Thousands of skeletons have been uncovered from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Based on analysis of the fossils, scientists believe the saber-tooth cat's style of killing involved jumping on the back of larger animals and severing the jugular vein. The tough skin and fat layers of animals that lived during this time may have contributed to the evolution of the impressive saber-tooth.

A saber-toothed cat, often synonymous with the term "saber-toothed tiger," refers to any member of various extinct groups of predatory mammals that are characterized by long, curved saber-shaped canine teeth. These cats belonged to the subfamily Machairodontinae and were not closely related to modern-day felines. They lived from the Eocene to the Pleistocene epochs, with the most famous species being Smilodon, which roamed North and South America.

Saber-toothed cats used their elongated canine teeth to deliver deep, fatal bites to the soft throats and bellies of their prey. These specialized teeth were not for chewing but for slicing, and the cats likely used their powerful neck and jaw muscles to pull down and secure prey while biting. This hunting method was effective against large herbivores of their time.

No, saber-toothed cats were not actually tigers. Despite the popular misnomer "saber-toothed tiger," these prehistoric felines were not closely related to modern tigers or other contemporary big cats. They belonged to a separate lineage of the felid family, which diverged from the ancestors of modern cats around 20 million years ago.

Saber-toothed cats varied in size, but many species were similar in size to modern big cats. For instance, Smilodon fatalis, one of the more well-known species, weighed approximately 160 to 280 kilograms (350 to 620 pounds), making it comparable in mass to a modern-day lion or tiger. However, their build was more robust with shorter limbs and a heavier body.

Saber-toothed cats went extinct approximately 10,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene epoch. Their extinction is believed to be part of a larger event that wiped out many large mammals, known as the Quaternary extinction event. Factors contributing to their demise likely included climate change, habitat loss, and the disappearance of large herbivorous prey species they depended on for food.

While complete specimens are rare, several well-preserved remains of saber-toothed cats have been discovered. Notably, the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles is a famous site where numerous fossils of Smilodon fatalis have been found, providing valuable insights into their physical characteristics and potential behavior. These findings have helped paleontologists piece together a more complete picture of these fascinating prehistoric predators.