• The cheetah's body is slender, with well-developed muscles and almost no fat deposits, making it aerodynamic. It has a small head, high-set eyes, and rounded ears.
• The cheetah's flexible spine allows it to run with its feet barely leaving the ground and to keep its head at a constant height.

The African cheetah has short, smooth, yellow-brown fur with black spots covering its body for camouflage; the young have long fur on their back and neck to mask them from other predators, and the spots also cover the cub’s body for camouflage. The adult's long tail helps maintain balance during sharp turns, while the black stripes running from the eyes to the mouth reduce glare from the sun and aid in spotting prey. The species possesses long and powerful legs that allow it to reach speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour; its claws are almost non-retractable and function like spikes for running.