One would think that people today would be very familiar with the different species of big cats today, what with all the media exposure. Who can NOT know about the Exxon Tiger? Tony the Tiger is on every supermarket shelf. Tigger is known to all kids. Is anyone in the world unfamiliar with The Lion King? Sports team named the Lions abound.

Yet people still call tigers lions and vice versa. Worse (for the perspective here on eBay) they list them in the wrong categories or with the wrong auction title, losing potential bids while frustrating potential buyers who have to wade through mis-listed items in hope of finding what they actually want.

How can you tell which is which? Simple. If it has stripes and is not a housecat it IS a TIGER.

If it has a mane it IS a LION.

Major cat species that cause confusion:



Lion - Panthera Leo (and subspecies)
These animals once ranged around most of the world, including the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. They are now confined to sub-Sahara Africa and a small region of India. Adult males sport manes of hair around their necks. Some manes run down the shoulders and along the belly too. Females lack the manes but both sexes have tufted tails and are the only cats with the tail tuft. They are also the only members of the cat family to live in groups. Cubs are heavily spotted but the spots usually fade as they grow although some adults, mostly females, retain faint spots in adulthood. There are also white lions.



Tiger - Panthera Tigris (and subspecies)
These natives of Asia and Siberia once ranged all of Asia and Eastern Russia but are now confined to small areas in several countries. The Siberian Tiger is the largest of the living big cats. All are shades of tan or orange with dark stripes although white tigers with brown or gray stripes have been seen and captured in India and bred in captivity. Except for females with cubs they are solitary.



Cougar - Felis Concolor
This cat causes a lot of confusion because it is often called a "Mountain Lion". Also known as the puma, catamount, and the catch-all "panther" it once roamed most of sub-arctic America, North & South. Much smaller than a true lion, it does share the tawny color. It has a heavily-muscled rear quarter that allows it to make huge jumps. Black markings around its muzzle identify it at once.



Leopard - Panthera Pardis
The leopard is a large spotted cat that is native to Africa and Asia. The body is a tan color with many dark spots although "black" leopards are common in most areas. They are really just a very dark brown and in good light the spots can still be seen. It is sometimes called a panther and its name (leo pard) derives from an early belief that spotted leopards were the result of the mating of a lion (leo) and a panther (pardis) or black leopard.



Cheetah - Acinonyx Jubatus
Often confused with the leopard, the cheetah differs in that it has long legs, a thin, long torso, a very long tail, and runs at up to 70 miles per hour to catch its prey. Dark markings on its face, running from the eyes and down the muzzle, form "tear tracks" and make it easy to identify. It once range from the SW U.S. through Asia and throughout Africa but is now confined to lower Africa. It is a close relative of the cougar, having evolved in what is now Texas.



Jaguar - Panthera Onca
The Jaguar is a resident of South America, Mexico, and the Southern U.S. Heavier built than the leopard it also differs in that its spots form in groups called rosettes instead of the plain spots of the leopard and cheetah. Like the leopard it also comes in a "black" variety. Although called "el tigre" over most of its range it is no relation to a tiger.