Cats are carnivorous mammals of the family Felidae. They cannot chew their food, and their teeth are adapted to stab, anchor, and cut flesh. All cats except the cheetah have strong, sharp retractile claws, They are not adapted for long chases but prowl their prey on padded feet and try to overwhelm it in short dash or pounce. Big cats roam over a large area, usually alone but sometimes in family groups, for example, a pride of lions can contain as many as 37 groups, for example, a pride of lions can contain as many as 37 individuals. Cats generally are nocturnal animals, the retina of their eyes made extra sensitive to light by a layer of guanine, which causes the eyes to shine in the dark. Tigers are the largest of the cats. They are identified by their characteristic striped coat. They inhabit forests and grasslands in Asia where the population has suffered from hunting, deforestation, and demand for tiger parts in traditional medicines.
