We now know sabertoothed cats used their formidable teeth to take big bites out of megafuanal throats and bellies, creating incredible trauma and blood loss. But before that, paleos came up with lots of alternate ideas. One of my favorite discards is that Smilodon drank blood. 🧪

vampire sabertoothed cat does sound really cool. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Does sound like a really rad fursona idea, though.

Okay, but Vampire Sabre Cat would make for one hell of a horror story.

Oh wow, I had it in my head that the belly-biting theory was heavily disputed (for dirk-tooths) with the throat/skull bite favoured! Has there been a recent review/new evidence on it?

You can find it in 1932’s The Felidae of Rancho La Brea. At the time, paleos thought Smilodon - “knife tooth” - stabbed prey to death with their canines, and that there was rough gum tissue over the palate that “may have been advantageous in blood sucking.” Alas, current research has not supported.

*sees sharp canines* ah yes, this must be a dracula of some sort

Vampiric Smilodon sounds like an awesome fursona idea

I thought those were so it could open big cans by itself