The genus name Tchadailurus comes from Chad, the country where the original fossils were found, and the Greek -ailurus, which means cat.

Similar in size to a lynx, Tchadailurus adei had a longer tail and the "flattened" canine teeth characteristic of the machairodonts.

[1] In the Djurab desert in northern Chad in central Africa, Tchadailurus seems to have lived alongside fellow machairodonts Lokotunjailurus, Amphimachairodus and early representatives of the genus Megantereon as well as four other cat species.

In addition to these other cats, animals such as crocodiles, three-toed horses, fish, monkeys, hippos, aardvarks, turtles, rodents, giraffes, snakes, antelopes, pigs, mongooses, foxes, hyenas, otters, honey badgers and the hominid Sahelanthropus dwelled here, providing ample food.

Based on these and other fossils, it is theorized that the Djurab was once the shore of a lake, generally forested close to the waters with savannah-like areas some distance away.