Original: When sprinting, the cheetah's body temperature becomes so high that it would be deadly to continue; this is why the cheetah is often seen resting after it has caught its prey.
Simplified: When the prey falls or is caught by the cheetah, then he bites the throat of the prey, so that it dies because it can not breathe. The cheetah can not defend itself against lions or hyenas who would take the cheetah's prey away.