History & Domestication of Cheetahs

The cheetah is thought to be one of the oldest types of big cats alive today. The species is endangered but its beauty has prompted many people throughout history to try to domesticate this vulnerable animal. Domestication is difficult not just because these are wild animals, but because there are conservation laws against doing so in most areas.

  1. Identification

    • The cheetah has always been identified by its yellowish fur and its round black dots. In addition, the cheetah has black lines that run from the inside corner of each eye, down the snout to the jaw line. Often, the cheetah will have a white tuft at the end of the tail despite being yellow and black throughout. Adults weigh anywhere from 90 to 140 lbs. and measure 45 to 55 inches in length. Males and females are not readily apparent from appearance alone.

    History

    • The cheetah is often referred to as the most primitive of all of the wild cats because its existence has been traced back to at least 11 million years ago. It's generally accepted that the cheetah evolved during the Miocene epoch in Asia before they would eventually migrate to Africa.

    Geography

    • The cheetah is almost always found in Africa now, though there are about 200 living in Iran. Generally, the cheetah will have a home range where they live and hunt, which ranges from about 34 to 1,500 square kilometers, depending on the availability of prey.

    Time Frame

    • Many people have attempted to domesticate the cheetah for the last several hundred years. Some people have been more successful than others, using the cheetah to help with hunting duties, but generally the cheetah is not a wise pick for domestication because it does not adapt well to change. Cheetahs that have done well have been bred and born in captivity and are more adaptable than those born in the wild.

    Risks

    • There are many risks associated with domesticating a cheetah. First and foremost, this is a species that is endangered because it has been hunted for its beautiful skins, so there are not many cheetah available and breeding in captivity has proved very difficult. The cats do not adapt, and many of them die when brought to live in captivity.

      There are legal risks for the owner as most countries do not allow for a cheetah to be kept as a pet. Under very rare circumstances, the United States and other countries will issue a permit for such an animal, but the reasons for keeping the animal captive must be extreme.

      Cheetahs are wild animals and domesticating them is difficult. Because they are wild animals there is a very real risk of bodily injury to anyone who attempts to domesticate and live with them.