What cats are saber-toothed cats related to?

Answer 1

From one study made by Janczewski et al., the closest living relative determined by the genetic drift in two genes retrieved from various animals are:
1. Acinonyx jubatus (Cheetah - 0.8% - 2% difference)
2. Pardofelis marmorata (Marbled cat - 0.8% - 2.3% difference)
3. Panthera leo (African Lion - 1.5% - 2.3% difference)

Keep in mind that the two tested genes (named 12S rRNA and FLA-I) are not representitive of the feline population, but serves as a starting point to compare the difference cat species.

Answer 2

The closest living relatives of saber-toothed cats are modern cats - they are equally closely related to every currently living cat, from the cheetah, to the lion, to the housecat. This is because all modern cats are more closely related to each other than they are to saber-toothed cats. Unfortunately, all members of the subfamily Machairodontinae are now extinct, meaning that the closest thing to a fearsome Smilodon you can get these days is your pet housecat (or the tiger in the zoo, if you want something with a bit more bite!)

Answer 3

The closest living relatives of saber toothed cats are extant cats. All cats are equally related to saber toothed cats because the saber toothed cats diverged from them all at the same time. Despite the name saber toothed tigers, they were not tigers and were not especially related to tigers.

Answer 4

lions and tigers