Felinae is a subfamily of the Felidae and comprises the small cats having a bony hyoid, because of which they are able to purr but not roar.
Other authors have proposed an alternative definition for this subfamily, as comprising only the living conical-toothed cat genera with two tribes, the Felini and Pantherini, and excluding the extinct sabre-toothed Machairodontinae.
Image: Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) on the road
Image: Caracl (01), Paris, décembre 2013
Image: Asian golden cat at Edinburgh Zoo
The sand cat is a small wild cat that inhabits sandy and stony deserts far from water sources. With its sandy to light grey fur, it is well camouflaged in a desert environment. Its head-and-body length ranges from 39–52 cm (15–20 in) with a 23–31 cm (9.1–12.2 in) long tail. Its 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in) short ears are set low on the sides of the head, aiding detection of prey moving underground. The long hair covering the soles of its paws insulates its pads against the extreme temperatures found in deserts.
Image: Persian sand CAT
Image: Sand Cat distribution
Sand cat at Ree Park zoo, Denmark
An Arabian sand cat at Osnabrück Zoo, Germany