Cheetahs are the most threatened large cat in captivity, with unique welfare challenges related to their stress sensitivity and complex reproductive requirements.
Cheetahs are unusually stress-sensitive among large felids, making zoo captivity particularly challenging for their welfare. Their reproductive failure in captivity - significantly lower than other big cats - is largely stress-mediated: chronic stress suppresses reproductive hormones. The diseases disproportionately affecting captive cheetahs, including veno-occlusive disease of the liver, appear to be stress-related. This means that zoo cheetahs are not just spatially restricted but are experiencing physiological stress responses that damage their health. The best zoo cheetah programs work intensively to minimize stress through large enclosures, limited visitor exposure, companion animals (some facilities pair cheetahs with dog companions), and sensitive management. The welfare case for wild cheetah conservation - keeping cheetahs where they can thrive - is strengthened by how poorly they do in captivity.