The kings, queens and sprinters
Big cats are the showstoppers of the animal world, and this word search gathers the whole pride. You'll be tracking the roaring LION and his LIONESS, the striped TIGER and TIGRESS, the spotted LEOPARD and JAGUAR, and the fastest land animal of all, the CHEETAH.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the pride, so the line-up changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode game drive once the diagonals and backwards words appear (a PANTHER may stalk in backwards).
Not just the famous five
The smaller wild cats deserve a spotlight too. Keep an eye out for the tufted-eared LYNX and CARACAL, the long-legged SERVAL, the dappled OCELOT and MARGAY, the North American BOBCAT, and the PUMA — also called the COUGAR or PANTHER depending where you are. We've mixed in a few cat words too — MANE, PRIDE, ROAR, WHISKERS, PROWL and FELINE — to round out the hunt.
Roarers, sprinters and a cat of many names
Here's a fact that surprises people: only four cats can truly ROAR — the LION, TIGER, LEOPARD and JAGUAR — thanks to a special stretchy bone in the throat. The CHEETAH can't roar at all; it chirps and purrs instead, which is one reason scientists don't count it as a 'true' big cat even though it's the fastest land animal on Earth, hitting around 70mph in seconds. The LION is the odd one out in another way too: it's the only cat that lives in a family group, the PRIDE, while almost every other cat hunts alone.
The PUMA holds a record of its own — it has more names than any other animal, known as the puma, COUGAR, mountain lion, catamount and PANTHER all for the same creature. (Confusingly, a black 'panther' is usually just a LEOPARD or JAGUAR with dark fur.) Their coats are camouflage: a TIGER's stripes break up its shape in tall grass, while a LEOPARD's rosettes hide it in dappled shade. Many of these magnificent cats are now endangered, which makes them a powerful topic for a lesson on predators, habitats and conservation.
Great for a predators or conservation topic
Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words, handy for a topic on big cats, habitats or conservation. Play online, print a PDF pack, or use Make Your Own to build a grid from your own favourite cats.
Frequently asked questions
Which big cats are in the word search?
All the great felines — lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, puma and panther, plus smaller wild cats like lynx, ocelot, caracal and serval. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
Is a cheetah really a big cat?
It's usually grouped with them, though it can't roar like a true big cat — and it's here either way, alongside the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar, plus smaller wild cats like the lynx and serval.
Does it suit a lesson on predators or endangered animals?
Yes. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words, handy for a topic on big cats, habitats or conservation.