The cheetah is the only living big cat whose claws cannot fully retract.
Unlike most cats, a cheetah’s claws remain partly exposed because they lack the protective sheaths that normally cover retractable claws. The claws are shorter, straighter, and less sharply curved than those of lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars. This gives the cheetah extra traction while sprinting, much like the spikes on a running shoe.
The adaptation fits the cheetah’s hunting style. It chases prey at extreme speed across open terrain, so grip and rapid acceleration matter more than the silent, padded-footed approach used by many ambush predators. Its large, curved dewclaw remains especially sharp and helps trip or hook prey during a chase.
The wording “cannot retract its claws” is sometimes simplified. Cheetah claws are partly retractile, not completely fixed. The important distinction is that they cannot be fully withdrawn into protective sheaths. This unusual feature is one of the clearest anatomical clues separating cheetahs from other modern felids.