What unique features did the saber-toothed tiger have?

Answer 1

Saber Tooth Tiger

The Saber Tooth Tigers are some of the best known and most popular of ice age animals. They are among the most impressive carnivores that ever have lived. Two different types of saber toothed tigers lived in the mid-western U.S. at the end of the ice age. One of the most familiar saber tooth tiger was (genus smilodon). These cats had enlarged canines usually associated with the name saber tooth. Their canines were up to 7 inches long (18 centimeters)! The second type is the less known (genus Homotherium). These cats had shorter canines about ten centimeters (4 inches) long. The canines were also flatter at the tips. Some of the differences can be seen by comparing the homotherium cat to the smilodon cat.

Saber Tooth Tigers probably lived in grassy plains, open woodlands, and other dry areas. Saber Tooth Tigers probably feasted on large animals such as, horses, buffalo, deer, and antelope. Saber Tooth Tigers lived in North America and South America. The saber tooth tiger was one of a kind. There are no close living relatives today but paleontologists reconstruct the skeleton of a saber tooth tiger to some of the largest living cats today.

About This Site >

Library >

FAQ >

7,000+ sites

by kids for kidsPrivacy Policy

Terms of Use

Answer 2

its muscular build enabled it to simply push bison and young 1 tone mammoths over then with its giant teeth it would bite the windpipe, recent tests suggest that lions had a stronger bite force. That means that the reason it became such a deadly and popular killer was precision not devastation it would puncher a clean cut precisely in the wind pipe were as modern cats just rip the throat so that even if it doesn't hit the windpipe it would probable be lethal anyway the saber cat was different it would have to hit the windpipe. if its teeth hit a bone they would snap

this strategy was what made the cat deadly the reason it died out was because bigger animals got hunted and made extinct and this strategy only worked on bigger animals, because bigger animals were slow, so the cat evolved and became slow like its prey, so when its prey died out only faster more agile prey remained leaving it to starve

i hope i answered your question

Answer 3

Among the larger cats we distinguish the "stabbing" cats (like the sabretooth) from the "biting" cats (like the lion). In essence, the giant canines were an adaptation to preying on huge animals. If you get a chance to compare skulls in a museum, notice two things (other than the sabres): a stabing cat has only two cheek teeth (molars) while a biting cat has three, and the stabbing cat can open its mouth much wider.

Answer 4

Sabertooth Tigers got longer fangs than ordinary tigers. Also they are bigger and stronger. Sabertooth Tigers i think doesn't have black colors on their body.

Answer 5

It had 2 huge curved canines that could grow up to 7 inches long.

They had huge sharp claws.

There jaws could open 120 degrees.

They were small and sturdy.