Nimravids in GURPS

The nimravids were a cat-like family of animals that may have been ancestral to the true cats. They had many cat-like ceatures, including lithe bodies and an ambush style of hunting. They also had a few features that were not as cat-like, such as claws that were at best only semi-retractable and a plantigrade style of walking (walking on both the balls and heel of the foot like a bear or human, rather than a digitigrade stance of walking on just the toes and balls of the feet like modern cats and dogs). They tended to saber-toothed forms, although they displayed a range of dentition similar to modern cats. Nevertheless, nimravids were similar enough in form, lifestyle, and geneology to be included in the description of cats along with the true cats.

These were ancient animals, and consequently not as much is known about them as about modern cats or even relatively recently extinct cats from the ice ages. There were a number of genera, and a great many species. Rough descriptions of the genera are given below

• Nimravus was the size of a small leopard. It lived in North America during the Oligocene.
• Eofelis ranged in size from a large lynx to a leopard, depending on species. It lived in Europe in the late Eocene to the Oligocene.
• Dinictis was about the size of a clouded leopard, and likely lived a similar lifestyle. It had large scimitar cutting teeth. It lived in North America during the Eocene and Oligocene periods.
• Pogonodon was the size of a small leopard, with scimitar teeth designed for slashing. It lived in North America and Eurasia duringthe Eocene and Miocene periods.
• Dinaelurus was a cheetah-like sprinter. It was from North America's Eocene and Oligocene periods.
• Quercylurus was almost more bear-like than cat-like. It had a powerful build and large, sturdy teeth. This nimravid was very large, nevertheless it was likely an accomplished climber. It lived in Europe during the Oligocene period.
• Eusmilus was a leopard-sized nimravid with saber teeth adapted for impaling. It lived in North America and Eurasia from the late Eocene though the Oligocene.
• Hoplophoneus was a jaguar-sizd nimravid with a powerful build and saber teeth adapted for stabbing, much like the later true saber tooth cats. It lived in North America during the late Eocene through the Oligocene periods.

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