Which animals share a common ancestor with cheetahs?

Cheetahs belong to the family Felidae, which encompasses all cat species. While they share a common ancestor with all members of this family, molecular genetic studies specifically indicate that cheetahs share a more recent common ancestor with the puma and the jaguarundi.12

Cheetahs diverged from the lineage shared with pumas and jaguarundis approximately six to eight million years ago, likely in North America. Beyond this specific grouping, cheetahs are part of the broader feline evolutionary tree that includes diverse species such as lions, tigers, leopards, and domestic cats, all of which trace their origins back to a common ancestor within the Felidae family.21