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Saber-toothed Cat Smilodon fatalis

Size: The saber-toothed cat was the size of the modern African lion.

Habitat: Probably lived on grassy plains and in open woodland.

Primary prey: The saber-toothed cat probably killed prey larger than themselves, such as ancient horses and buffalo but may have also taken smaller animals like antelope and deer. They may also have eaten carrion .

Conservation Status: Became extinct around 11,000 years ago.

Distribution: North America and South America.

Notable Features: Of all the animals known from Rancho La Brea, the saber-toothed cat, sometimes called the saber toothed tiger, most vividly captures the imagination. It has been named the state fossil of California. Bones from nearly 2,000 individuals have been recovered from Rancho La Brea.

Although the saber-toothed cat has no close living relatives, paleontologists reconstruct how the saber-toothed cat looked by comparing its bones with those of large cats living today. Very powerful front legs and a short tail indicate that saber-toothed cats used stealth and ambush rather than speed to capture their prey.

Recent investigations suggest that the saber toothed cat probably used its long canines to bite open the soft belly of its prey.

Some fossils show healed injuries or diseases that would have crippled the animal. Some paleontologists see this as evidence that saber-toothed cats were social animals, living and hunting in packs that provided food for old and sick members.

Two different types of saber-toothed cats lived in the Americas 12,000 years ago. One type was the familiarSmilodon fatalis, discussed above. The second type was the Scimitar Cat (Homotherium serum). Both cats had enlarged canine teeth although the canines of the Scimitar cat were shorter, about 4 inches compared to Smilodon's seven inch canines. Some of the differences can be seen by comparing a photo of the skull of the Smilodon (image courtesy of the U.C. Berkeley Museum of Paleontology) with that of a drawing of a Scimitar Cat (image courtesy of the Illinois State Museum).