European Scimitar Cat
Homotherium latidens
😼
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Feloidea
Felidae
Homotherium
Homotherium latidens
Homotherium latidens, also known as the European Scimitar-Toothed Cat, was a highly specialized, social predator of the Pleistocene. Built for endurance hunting, it once roamed from the British Isles to the Russian plains, preying on megafauna like juvenile mammoths and horses — and potentially clashing with early humans.
Description
Homotherium latidens — This extinct saber-toothed cat was a member of the genus Homotherium, known for its scimitar-shaped canines, long limbs, and hyena-like body shape. Unlike the more famous Smilodon, Homotherium had shorter, more curved canines and was likely diurnal, with good eyesight adapted for daylight hunting. It had a sloping back due to its longer forelimbs and shorter hind limbs, an adaptation for long-distance running rather than ambush.
It likely hunted in coordinated groups and focused on large herbivores like horses, deer, and possibly juvenile mammoths. Fossil sites suggest that Homotherium was intelligent and possibly social. It was one of the last surviving saber-toothed cats in Eurasia before going extinct near the end of the Pleistocene.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
190
1.1
1.65
2
kg
m
m
m
Hypercarnivore
Obligate Proteivore
Hunt History
Homotherium existed alongside early modern humans and Neanderthals in Europe. While no direct hunting of Homotherium by humans has been confirmed, competition for prey and changing climate likely played a role in its extinction. It may have scavenged kills made by humans or vice versa. Some paleolithic cave sites show overlapping usage by humans and large carnivores, suggesting occasional encounters.
Earliest Archaeological Finds with Human Interaction:
Cave of Goyet, Belgium – Homotherium bones found in association with human remains and stone tools, possibly scavenged or displaced (~30,000 years ago).
Kent’s Cavern, England – Fossil fragments of Homotherium found in Paleolithic levels; no direct hunting evidence (~28,000 years ago).
Schöningen, Germany – Nearby evidence of large cat and human coexistence near spear-hunting sites (~300,000–30,000 years ago), indirect correlation.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Europe
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Low
Fat %
3
Est. Renderable Fat
5.7
kg
Targeted Organs
Marrow, brain (low overall fat)
Adipose Depots
Minimal subcutaneous; marrow/brain
Preferred Cuts
Marrow
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
4