* Domestic cats belong to the subfamily Felinae, which includes other small to medium-sized cats like leopards, jaguars, and lions.
* Cheetahs belong to the subfamily Acinonychinae, which is a distinct subfamily with only one surviving species - the cheetah itself.
This means that cheetahs are more closely related to other extinct members of the Acinonychinae subfamily than they are to domestic cats.
Here's a simple analogy: Think of it like humans and chimpanzees. They both belong to the same family (Hominidae), but humans are more closely related to other humans than they are to chimpanzees.
Even though domestic cats and cheetahs are distantly related, they share some common characteristics, such as their sharp claws, keen senses, and predatory instincts.