La Brea Lorebook

1. #1Smilodon fatalis

   Keys: Sabercat, Stabberkitty, American Sabercat, Smilodon

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   Smilodon fatalis, also known as the American Sabercat, Sabercat, Stabberkitty, or simply Smilodon, is one of the largest, most dangerous, and by far the most pugnacious predators in the La Brea area. True to its basic descriptor, Smilodon is a very large cat - at 300 kilograms in weight, 175 centimeters in head-to-tail length, and able to grow up to 100 centimeters at shoulder height, it is a massive and imposing predator. As its name would suggest, Smilodon has a pair of 20-centimeter long canine teeth which protrude from the jaw. These teeth are large, yet thin, hence being called saber teeth. Smilodon is an extremely robust cat, with a long, deep, and boxy skull. Its body is not too dissimilar from that of a lion or tiger, but it is noticably more bulky, especially in its forelimbs. The tail of Smilodon populator is short, at only about 10 centimeters long. Smilodon populator has a varied coat, with a dark background and lighter tan rosettes, and a lighter underbelly with a heavy, dark mane around its neck and back. Smilodon fatalis has 12-centineter long, retractable claws on each of its heavily muscled forelimbs, perfect for hooking into huge prey animals. Smilodon's upper lip sticks down slightly above the fangs, and has abnormally long and sensitive whiskers to gauge where to bite during a hunt. Males are slightly more muscular than females. Due to their stocky nature, Smilodon can "only" hit speeds of about 33 miles per hour - slow for a large predator, but fast enough to catch their prey in an ambush. However, their massive heel bone allows for horizontal leaps of 20 feet, and vertical leaps of up to 10 feet.

   Smilodon fatalis is unique among La Brea big cats in that it lives in small, organized groups. Ranging anywhere from 4-8 members, these groups are usually led by one or two males and followed by several females. Rarely, "brotherhoods", formed of duos or trios of males, will wander from group to group, killing off the lead male(s) there. Smilodon males are very hostile to each other, and usually engage in "catfighting" - a type of combat where both fighting males rear on their hindlegs and try to push the other over. A loose slap from a male directed at the head of another can snap fangs, greatly impacting the affected male's hunting ability and social status. Broken sabers for any gender of Smilodon fatalis usually ends up in that individual getting forced out of the group and killed, or left to starve.

   Smilodon groups are called "gangs" or "cleaves".

   Smilodon are rather adaptable with their feeding habits, though they have some notable preferences. Their favorite prey items are Antique buffalo, Bison antiquus, Western Camels of the genus Camelops, and flat-headed peccaries of the genus Platygonus. Because all of these are considerably larger than their modern-day counterparts, Smilodon has evolved a unique killing method to deal with them. When hunting smaller prey, such as Platygonus, Shrub-ox, Mule deer, or young camels or bison, Smilodon usually hunts solo by creeping up to them and pinning them down with an immense leap. The Smilodon will then proceed to line up its fangs against the throat of its prey and bite clean though the windpipe and esophagus, severing all airflow to the brain and killing the prey instantly. For larger animals, like bison, Camelops, or horses, one or two individuals will chase the prey animal into a waiting group located in deep foliage. The prey animal is then surrounded, pounced upon, and toppled, where the same killing bite method is used. Though they rarely do it, Smilodon fatalis will not hesitate to scavenge, though, like any other specialized predator, they prefer soft organs to harder muscle.

   When it comes to other predators, Smilodon will use both their physical strength and numbers to their advantage. They overpower dire wolves, Pleistocene coyotes, and grey wolves, and don't even compete with pumas and American Cheetahs, which they still kill for sport regardless. Against American Jaguars and American Lions, they use their strength and numbers as an advantage, while most other predators are easily tackled and sometimes killed. However, the 600-kilogram giant shirt- faced bear poses a risk to Smilodon adults and cubs, while the mammoth-hunting Homotherium rarely encounters them at all. All of these predators will not pass up the opportunity to kill Smilodon cubs, as will Smilodon onto them.

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