Do all big cats come from a common ancestor?

"You would most likely recognise it as a big cat." Based on the wear of the teeth in the skull, the animal probably hunted like modern snow leopards do, said Tseng. "They used their front teeth to pick at a hide or hunt in very gritty areas where they get heavy wear on the front teeth. read more

Ultimately, of course. All Felidae came from one felid ancestor. But this is not to say all big cats evolved from the same big cat ancestor. Lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards apparently evolved large size independently of a different clade giving rise to cheetahs, pumas, and jaguarundi. read more

All Cats, Large and Small. All cats -- that is, all felids -- share common traits. This might seem counter-intuitive if you're comparing your house cat with a tiger. Remember, though, the term "big cats" carries no biological significance apart from size distinction. read more

While Proailurus is the earliest known cat, and likely ancestral to all the modern ones, its descendant, Pseudaelurus, from around 20-10 million years ago, is believed to be the Most recent common ancestor that all cats share. read more