are lions cats

Lions are indeed cats. Biologically, lions belong to the same family as domestic cats, called Felidae. Lions are classified as large cats in the genus Panthera, while domestic cats belong to a different genus, Felis. Both kinds of cats share a common ancestor, but domestic cats did not directly descend from lions. The term "cat" generally refers to the domestic cat, while "big cats" like lions and tigers are distinguished by their size and genus Panthera. Nonetheless, lions, tigers, and domestic cats are all members of the broader cat family (Felidae) and share many physical and behavioral traits, making lions part of the cat family.