This list of fictional big cats is subsidiary to the List of fictional cats and other felines and includes notable large feline characters that appear in various works of fiction. This list excludes hybrids such as ligers and tiglons.
Name | Species | Author | Work | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aslan | Lion | C. S. Lewis | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | A talking lion, the King of Beasts, son of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea; a wise, compassionate, magical authority (both temporal and spiritual); mysterious and benevolent guide to the human children who visit; guardian and saviour of Narnia. Lewis described Aslan as an alternative version of Christ, that is, as the form in which Christ might have appeared in a fantasy world. "Aslan" is Turkish for "lion". [1] |
Bagheera | Leopard | Rudyard Kipling | The Jungle Book | Friendly, loyal, trustworthy, protective, sly, clever, serious and responsible character |
Chandre | Lion | Eduard Uspenskiy | Cheburashka | |
Cowardly Lion | Lion | L. Frank Baum | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | As his name implies, he is a lion without any courage. |
Grograman | Lion | Michael Ende | The NeverEnding Story | Dubbed "The Many Colored Death" (Graógramán, der Bunte Tod in German) |
Guenhwyvar | Black panther | R. A. Salvatore | The Dark Elf Trilogy | 600 lb. Astral entity, summoned through a figurine likeness. Guenhwyvar can spend half a day on the Material Plane before needing to be dismissed home to rest. She will also heal faster on the Astral Plane. Companion to Drizzt Do'Urden. |
Hungry Tiger | Tiger | L. Frank Baum | Ozma of Oz | A gluttonous tiger who will not eat friends or defenseless beings due to his conscience |
Jad-bal-ja | Lion | Edgar Rice Burroughs | Tarzan and the Golden Lion | A companion to Tarzan |
Jussuf | Tiger | Günter Eich | Der Tiger Jussuf | The title circus tiger in a radio play |
Lafcadio | Lion | Shel Silverstein | Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back | The title character in a children's book |
Naga | Lioness | Scott Hawkins | The Library at Mount Char | Short for 'Nagasaki' She is a young lioness who befriends the hero of the story. |
Painted Jaguar | Jaguar | Rudyard Kipling | Just So Stories | A jaguar cub who is one of the antagonists of the story. |
Richard Parker | Tiger | Yann Martel | Life of Pi | Companion to Pi, originally named "Thirsty" but renamed due to a name confusion with the hunter |
Shere Khan | Tiger | Rudyard Kipling | The Jungle Book | A dishonorable tiger who seeks to devour Mowgli and rule the jungle |
Stelmaria | Snow leopard | Philip Pullman | His Dark Materials | Lord Asriel's daemon |
Tigger | Tiger | A. A. Milne | Winnie the Pooh | Does not like thistles, acorns or honey, but loves Malt Medicine |
The Tiger Who Came to Tea | Tiger | Judith Kerr | The Tiger Who Came to Tea | A tiger who interrupts Sophie and her family's afternoon tea session |
Phantom cats, also known as alien big cats (ABCs), are large felids which allegedly appear in regions outside their indigenous range. Sightings, tracks, and predation have been reported in a number of countries including Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. When confirmed, they are typically explained as exotic pets or escapees from private zoos.
The representation of jaguars in Mesoamerican cultures has a long history, with iconographic examples dating back to at least the mid-Formative period of Mesoamerican chronology.
A purr or whirr is a tonal fluttering sound made by some species of felids, including both larger, outdoor cats and the domestic cat, as well as two species of genets. It varies in loudness and tone among species and in the same animal. In smaller and domestic cats it is known as a purr, while in larger felids, such as the panther, it is called a whirr.
Battle Beasts is a line of small 2" tall action figure toys, in the form of an anthropomorphised animals with body armor and a unique weapon. Several figures have their left hand replaced by a weapon of some kind. Battle Beasts were created and largely produced by Takara and distributed by Takara in Japan and by Hasbro outside Japan, beginning in 1987.
A Congolese spotted lion, also known by the portmanteau lijagulep, is the hybrid of a male lion and female jaguar-leopard hybrid. Several lijaguleps have been bred, but only one appears to have been exhibited as a Congolese spotted lion. It was most likely given that name by a showman because the public were more interested in exotic captured animals than in captive-bred hybrids.
A werecat is an analog to "werewolf" for a feline therianthropic creature.
A Panthera hybrid is a crossbreed between individuals of any of the five species of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. Most hybrids would not be perpetuated in the wild as the territories of the parental species do not overlap and the males are usually infertile. Mitochondrial genome research revealed that wild hybrids were also present in ancient times. The mitochondrial genomes of the snow leopard and the lion were more similar to each other than to other Panthera species, indicating that at some point in their history, the female progeny of male ancestors of modern snow leopards and female ancestors of modern lions interbred with male ancestors of modern snow leopards.
A rosette is a rose-like marking or formation found on the fur and skin of some animals, particularly cats. Rosettes are used to camouflage the animal, either as a defense mechanism or as a stalking tool. Predators use their rosettes to simulate the different shifting of shadows and shade, helping the animals to remain hidden from their prey. Rosettes can be grouped in clusters around other spots, or may appear as blotches on the fur.
The Wampus cat is a cat-like creature in American folklore that varies widely in appearance, ranging from frightful to comical, depending on region.
Parc des Félins is a zoological park in France dedicated to the breeding and conservation of wild members of the cat family. It is located in the commune of Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux in Seine-et-Marne, about 53.6 km (33.3 mi) southeast of Paris.
A pard is the Greek word for the leopard, which is listed in medieval bestiaries and in Pliny the Elder's book Natural History. Over the years, there have been many different depictions of the creature including some adaptations with and without manes and some in later years with shorter tails. However, one consistent representation shows them as large felines often with spots.
Talking animals are a common element in mythology and folk tales, children's literature, and modern comic books and animated cartoons. Fictional talking animals often are anthropomorphic, possessing human-like qualities. Whether they are realistic animals or fantastical ones, talking animals serve a wide range of uses in literature, from teaching morality to providing social commentary. Realistic talking animals are often found in fables, religious texts, indigenous texts, wilderness coming of age stories, naturalist fiction, animal autobiography, animal satire, and in works featuring pets and domesticated animals. Conversely, fantastical and more anthropomorphic animals are often found in the fairy tale, science fiction, toy story, and fantasy genres.
A big cat is a cheetah, cougar, jaguar, leopard, lion, snow leopard or tiger.