A ‘big cat’ is one that belongs to the genus Panthera. This includes tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards and jaguars. Cheetahs aren’t in this genus. If something isn’t in the genus labelled ‘big cat’, then that something likewise cannot be called a big cat.
So
that’s for when ‘big cat’ is a noun. If the ‘big’ is used as an adjective (a
description), a cheetah can be labelled a big cat. One simply cannot
look at a cheetah and claim they are small. It’s taller than many (noun) big
cats. Most cat species have a lesser body height, length and weight to a
cheetah, too. So as an adjective describing the noun ‘cat’, ‘big’ is suitable
for use about a cheetah.
But
calling a cheetah a big cat does make people think they’re closely related to
members of the Panthera genus, especially leopards and jaguars. Calling
cheetahs big cats perpetrates false information which isn’t helpful. Hence why
using ‘big cat’ for cheetahs is frowned upon in all situations.
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