Panther Facts for Kids

The word "panther" has been used all sorts of ways, and can mean all sorts of things. Here they are:

• The scientific term Panthera refers to the "big cats," which includes all the cats that can roar: lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars. Grrr.
• Some of the Panthera cats, like leopards and jaguars, are sometimes called panthers, instead of their regular name.
• In North America, the cougar, also called a mountain lion, is sometimes called a panther, especially in Florida. Cougars don't actually belong to the group Panthera, since they can't roar. They actually purr!
• Panther can also be used when talking about black panthers, which can be a cougar, leopard, or jaguar, but with all black fur, instead of the usual yellow or orange with spots.
• It can also mean a white panther, which is a cougar, leopard, or jaguar, but with all white fur, or very pale fur.

So, it can get pretty confusing! The word has been used to mean all sorts of things, so there's no easy way to use it. It can mean lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, or cougar!

They're also known as the "big cats." While other cats can grow pretty big, the term "big cat" only means the roaring kind, no matter how big the other ones might get. This term gets a little confusing too, but that's the official definition.

Learn more about these big cats here:

Part of the reason it has so many names is because it's found over a wide range of territory, and has also gotten a lot of nicknames over the years. Over in Florida, it's known as the Florida panther.

Even though it gets pretty big, it's not considered one of the "big cats," since it can't roar. It's actually more closely related to house cats!

But even so, it's still one of the most powerful hunters in North America, and in some cases it can even fight larger animals like bears, especially if it's protecting its cubs.

Also incredibly rare are white lions and white tigers, which have white fur due to extremely rare genes. The performers Siegfried and Roy became famous for their use of white tigers in their performances. However, even though both types of cats belong to the group Panthera, they're not usually called white panthers. For the most part, when people talk about black or white panthers, they're usually talking about leopards and jaguars.

For lots of reasons, kids seem to love big, wild cats, and their parents secretly love them too. So hopefully you've enjoyed learning all sorts of fun facts about panthers for kids, and your next family outing is a trip to the zoo to learn even more!