The Johto Ledgendaries

[Ginga]

Meh. I got here too late to say anything useful, but JUST LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES! They're too big and muscular to be cats, but they have too many cat-like qualities (Entei and Raikou's saber-tooth-ish fangs, for instance) to be dogs.

So they are lions in my book. 3nodding  

[Akahana]

http://www.cohsoft.com.au/nature/gallery/c/cheetah.jpg
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/breedinformation/hound/images/whippet.jpg

I think if anything, they are cheetah or whippet like. Look at their legs in proportion to their bodies. I've heard in multiple snippets that the legendaries dash about the land at breakneck speed. They don't feel very catlike to me anyways, and cheetahs are actually considered to be the most doglike of cats.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/biology/usfw-list/images/wolf.jpg
Of course, wolves can fit too, and perhaps better, since wolves will run and run, and hardly get tired.

I do admit the legendaries have a few catlike features about the face, but when it comes down to body shape, most cats seem too chunky to fit them.