Once their eyes are open, the mother cheetah carries the cubs to a different den every few days. These moves ensure a clean den, and reduce the risk of predators, such as lions sniffing out the vulnerable cubs. Mothers sometimes have to leave their cubs alone for up to 48 hours to hunt for food. Cubs are brought out of their hidden den at 6 to 8 weeks, and accompany their mother from then on. The young are weaned at about three months old, then they follow their mother to kill and share her catch.
Cubs often remain with each other for several more months.
The female cheetahs leave first, followed by the males, who set off together. Cheetahs reach sexual maturity between 20 to 24 months old. Small cheetahs are preyed on by a variety of animals, including large snakes and large birds like eagles. Cheetahs have been hunted by humans for their skins and have been driven out of their wild country by people with cattle. The last Indian cheetah was killed in 1948, but a few Asiatic cheetahs are thought to have survived in the rugged country of northern Iran and Turestan.