Structurally, the cheetah has a unique, flexible spine, which allows for extreme flexion and extension while running at top speeds. In spine flexion, when the cat's legs are directly underneath its body, the scapula and hip are able to rotate to such an extreme angle that the cheetah's front and hind legs overlap.

Can anything run faster than a cheetah?

—no animal on earth can run faster. But a peregrine falcon can swoop faster than a cheetah can run. And the falcon can't compare to an airplane, a rocket, or the speed of light.

Are cheetahs faster than lions?

The cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 96.6 km/h (60.0 mph) in under three seconds, though endurance is limited: most cheetahs run for only 60 seconds at a time. ... The lion is the second fastest wild cat with a top running speed of 80.5 km/h, though only for very short bursts.