Cheetahs Reading Comprehension Lesson

The Fastest Cat on Earth

Cheetahs are considered the fastest cats on Earth. They are sprinters and can only run for short distances, but they reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour and can cover more than 20 feet in one stride. Cheetahs are long and lean animals. They sprint for about 20 seconds at a time. While running, cheetahs are in the air more than half the time. Their sharp claws function almost like sports cleats, giving them great traction so they can pick up speed quickly and change direction without slipping.

A cheetah’s body is built for speed in every detail. Its flexible spine acts like a spring, stretching and compressing with each stride to add length to every step. Its large nostrils and lungs allow it to take in extra oxygen during a sprint. Its long tail acts as a rudder, helping the cheetah steer at high speed. After a sprint, a cheetah must rest for 15 to 30 minutes to cool down and catch its breath before it can eat the prey it has caught.

Cheetahs are covered in a tawny yellow coat with solid black spots. This coloring provides camouflage in the tall grasses of the African savanna. Unlike most big cats, cheetahs hunt during the day, relying on their eyesight and speed rather than stealth and darkness. They stalk their prey to within 200–300 feet, then sprint. The entire hunt usually lasts less than a minute. Cheetahs prey on gazelles, impalas, rabbits, and small birds.

Social Life, Sounds, and Survival

Unlike lions, which live in groups called prides, most cheetahs are relatively solitary. Female cheetahs live alone except when raising cubs. Male cheetahs, however, sometimes form small groups of two or three brothers, called coalitions, that hunt together and defend territory. Cubs stay with their mother for about 18 months, learning to hunt before going off on their own. The mother teaches them by bringing live prey for them to practice on.

Cheetahs are unique among big cats because they cannot roar. Instead, they chirp, purr, yelp, and bark — sounds that are more like a large house cat than a lion or tiger. The chirping sound is used by mothers to call their cubs and by males to communicate with each other. Cheetahs also purr, both when inhaling and exhaling, unlike domestic cats which only purr when exhaling.

Cheetahs are an endangered species. There are fewer than 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa with a tiny population in Iran. Their numbers have declined because of habitat loss as farmland expands into wilderness, conflict with ranchers who shoot cheetahs to protect livestock, and a decline in prey animals. Conservation programs are working to protect cheetah habitat and educate local communities, but the cheetah’s future remains uncertain without continued effort.

Download the Worksheet

Full Members can download the printable PDF worksheet and answer key.

Looking for more reading comprehension worksheets? Browse all reading lessons or become a Full Member to access every printable PDF.