As many of us know, the cheetah is the fastest animal on land. This says a lot about this feline considering how few of them are left in the world. Mainly found throughout Africa and some parts of Iran, the cheetah has been in a rough decline as far as their population. Mainly, humans are the reason for the loss of such an incredible animal due to poaching and the destruction of their natural habitats. Cheetah reach up to an average weight of around 160 pounds, larger than the leopard, yet smaller than a lion, cheetah possess an incredible amount of strength for their size. Being natural born killers, cheetah hunt their prey during the day time, feasting on mostly gazelle and antelopes. Reaching up to a little over 45 miles per hour in full sprint, hunting for meals is no problem for the cheetah.

Oftentimes, people confuse the cheetah and leopard with one another. Although they are very similar in looks, the look of the cheetah is a little different. Cheetah tend to be taller than leopard but sometimes even that is hard to distinguish. The most easy way to tell the difference between the two is the spots on the animals. Leopards have what are called ‘rosettes’ which consists of clusters of brown and black spots, the leopard also has a much more complex coloration scheme. Another way to tell the difference is that cheetah have black lines that run down from under their eyes. This black strip is used to help the cheetah keep the sun out of its eyes.

These are all great things to keep in mind if you plan on getting a cheetah inspired tattoo. The most important thing to remember is the difference between the two feline cousins. Having a tattoo of a leopard but calling it a cheetah could make you look foolish, so it is important to remember the difference. Down below are examples of the cheetah tattoo; different designs, styles, and placements.