Big cat refers to the medium-to-large wild felids of The Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Australia and Antarctica have no indigenous species of big cats. Like the domestic cat, all of the big cats are carnivores and efficient predators.

The term is used to distinguish these large felids from the domestic cat and other smaller felidae species. One area of distinction is that big cats can roar, but cannot purr whilst inhaling, only while exhaling. (The cheetah is an exception, being able to make both sounds.)

"Big cat" species:

Genus Panthera:

• Lion (Africa, Gir Forest in India; in southeast Europe and the Middle East in classical times)
• Tiger (Asia)
• Leopard (Asia and Africa)
• Jaguar (the Americas from near the U.S.-Mexico border southward)

Others often thought to be "big cats" (though, aside from the cheetah, they cannot roar):

• Snow Leopard (mountains of central Asia)
• Cheetah (Africa)
• Lynx (including the Bobcat)
• Ocelot (Texas; South and Central America)
• Puma (other names: catamount, cougar, mountain lion, painted cat, panther) (North and South America)