Their anatomy is quite different though and attests to different hunting strategies.
Wolves as you know, are canids. They have long legs, long muzzles and hunt in packs. Together they can take down large prey like bison. They can do this because they have large nostrils, so oxygen intake is immense and feeds their lungs as they chase down their prey in a marathon. Their muzzles enable them to grip and hold, with the entire pack eventually wearing down their quarry. Death for their prey is more often than not slow and agonizing.
Big cats, like tigers have relatively short legs, short muzzles and hunt alone. They stalk and ambush their prey, which are much fleeter of foot than they are. They do not have great stamina, their lungs are not as large and they have a smaller nasal cavity. They have shorter muzzles so they can bite into their prey's throat, and their prey cannot "shake" loose as in a muzzle that is longer and has more space to maneuver around. Death for their prey is often much quicker (although some individual tigers are known to hamstring their prey and feed on their prey alive while it slowly bleeds to death).
The cheetah is the most doglike cat. It has long legs, large lungs and huge nostrils. However, they aren't truly dogs. They have more stamina than other cats but they must stalk to within a fairly short striking distance. They still do not have the endurance to run down prey over huge distances.
Two families of very successful predators. Two different ways of getting to the top.
Ask me anything.
What big cats can a wolf beat? can any dog beat a wolf?
arent wolves basically weak AF as animals go? Could a single wolf even take down an impala?