What knowledge to have!
Hello, this is a cheeto. But we are not here today to talk about cheetos.
Issa cheeto
We are here to talk about Cheetahs. This is a cheetah.
THEY MEOW!!! Don't believe me? Just watch:
My immediate reaction was exactly this:
This thing...meows?!?!?! AND PURRS?!?!??! Like a little house cat stinkin' up your home??!!
In these species, the epihyal bone, part of the voice box, is replaced by a ligament. This can be stretched, creating a larger sound-producing passage and thus a wider range of pitch. The more the ligament extends, the lower the sound generated when air passes across the vocal cords. In addition, the cords are large, unbroken and fleshy, which produces deeper sounds.
In contrast, in the 'small' cats, the bones of the voice box form a fixed structure, with divided vocal cords that vibrate with both in and out breaths. While this design enables these cats to purr continuously (unlike their big cousins), it limits the range of other sounds and prevents them from being able to roar.
In conclusion: I can't wait to share this extremely interesting information with all of my friends and family. And also, look at this baby cheetah:
via Buzzfeed/Animals
