Cats in the United States the appearance of humans in the Americas. Some prehistoric animals referred to as "saber-toothed cats" were in fact marsupials and not cats at all, but called such because of their resemblance to true felines with large canine teeth. Two main species of big cat currently inhabit the United States. One is the jaguar ("Panthera onca"), which is related to many species of big cat found on other continents and can be found in the southwestern US and as far south as northern Argentina. The other, the cougar ("Puma concolor"), which is also known as the puma or mountain lion, is
Rhyton terminating in the forepart of a wild cat Rhyton terminating in the forepart of a wild cat The Metropolitan Museum of Art has in its collection a 1st century rhyton terminating in the forepart of a wild cat. The silver drinking vessel, which depicts a wild cat, is attributed to the Parthian Empire. The rhyton exhibits several hallmarks of Hellenistic art, which were introduced to Iran during the conquests of Alexander the Great. These symbols include dancing women, grapevines, and a panther, all of which are strongly associated with wine-centric Dionysian cults. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes the work as "a fine example of the enduring influence