So... having a tiger companion is easy but being effective at Mounted Combat it is feat hungry. There are SO many different ways you can play this character to achieve the concept you want.
The animal companion you want would definitely be the Big Cat or War Cat... just say it is a sabertooth/dire tiger/smilodon.
So if you want really good magic go Druid. Lot's of buff spells to make you and your tiger extra powerful, along with some minor healing magic. Lion Shaman would be the best if fighting as a Dire Tiger next to your companion appeals to you. Drawbacks being you will burn most of your feats being good at mounted combat(which wouldn't be best for a Druid anyway when you have Wildshape).
Rage is awesome... having a raging Tiger is even more awesome. Mounted Fury Barbarian allows your mount to rage along with you and benefit from certain rage powers that you possess. You would be an engine of destruction. Drawbacks being limited to a horse for selection, no animal buddy until level 5 and feat burning for mounted combat(when you could be taking Extra Rage and Extra Rage Power). Easy fix though... 1st level Druid for Tiger, once you're level 5 in Mounted Fury(necessary for advancing your companion at all with this class) take Boon Companion to bring your Tiger up to your level.
Beast Rider Cavalier works great and gives your mount really nice bonuses. Drawbacks being you can't have your tiger until level 7(or Effective Druid Level). Definitely worth a level dip for any mounted build you are doing for those bonuses to your tiger.
Ranger would be the most simple and they got you covered with bonus feats if you select Mounted Combat as your combat style. Minor spell casting but favored terrain and favored enemy bonuses are great. Alternatively, you can drop your spells for the Skirmisher archetype to gain Hunter Tricks, those are fun and add extra combat actions. Drawbacks; no Big Cat... fix with a dip into Beast Rider after level 6(EDL will be 7+ allowing exotic mounts)
If you want full on armored impenetrability go Roughrider Fighter. This class offers no animal companion but remember, any class can gain a companion with the Animal Ally feat. Animal Ally requires a couple feats but Fighter is LOADED with bonus combat feats! Top it with Boon Companion and you're ready to throw down. Drawback being Animal Ally doesn't grant Big Cat, fix with dip into Beast Rider after level 6(EDL will be 7+ allowing exotic mounts)
Never played a Hunter class yet but looking at the Primal Companion Hunter tickles my fancy. This class definitely revolves around your Tiger but with all those Evolution points it's going to be more terrifying than any other animal companion could be. You also get spontaneous casting with pretty good spell slots along with it.
Hopefully this helped more than it made you more uncertain of what to do lol. You won't be able to actually ride your Tiger until it grows to Large at your EDL 7.
Evolve Companion, Totem Beast and Spirit's Gift are great feats to take with any of these classes that allow them.
OTOH I'd look at a paladin, considering a catfolk gets a charisma bonus. Assuming you're starting at 5th level+ though as that's when they get the divine bond ability. There are some very nice paladin spells like saddle surge too. Check that your GM is OK with a paladin getting a tiger/big cat, it's a bit vague on what types exactly you can choose.
If there are problems there one other possibility in the charisma line is a lunar oracle. They can definitely get a tiger from level 1. Not as martial as a paladin, but they can buff very well indeed. I would definitely consider the warsighted archetype for more feats.
I would say go Hunter. It doesn't lock you into the normal mounted combat build of lance charges because of the great teamwork feats for melee. You also get the ability to buff your animal companion pretty well because you get access to both the ranger and druid spell lists.
I think this would work pretty well for you. Catfolk stat bonuses don't really help here at all, but you should still be okay.
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Bonus points, take adopted (half orc) to pick up the tusked race trait, flavor your bite attack as having smilodon-like teeth.
Wild child brawler gets a full companion, could go full feral claw machine.
I think this could work...
S14+1+1 D14+2 C14 I13 W13-2 Ch9+2 (could dump Cha to the floor for one more int or wis)
Fighter 6 (Dragoon), Hunter 3.
Nature Soul, Mounted Combat, (SF-ride)
Power Attack
Animal Ally (companion at charlevel-3, think it stacks with hunter 3 to get it to your level at 9th, if not gotta make room for boon companion feat)
Ride-by Attack
Combat Reflexes
Spirited Charge
AWT Armed Bravery
Outflank (shared)
Combat Expertise, Pack Flanking (shared)
Could instead lose a bunch of feats to get (shared) rage and do Barbarian 6/Hunter3
Nature Soul
Ferocious Mount
Animal Ally
Rage Power
Combat Expertise
Rage Power
Feat
Outflank
Pack Flanking, Feat
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Bonus points, take adopted (half orc) to pick up the tusked race trait, flavor your bite attack as having smilodon-like teeth.
Ugh. That bloody Adopted trait.
As a GM I'd rule it was a ridiculous use of Adopted, but you could have it anyway as a Catfolk trait. Some cats have good bite attacks, keep it simple.
Nature Fang Druid can take the ranger's mounted combat style.
Don't forget Boon Companion to raise your EDL by +4(not to exceed your character level) to compensate for any classes that suffer a lower EDL. You would just have to figure out how you want to be in combat to decide.
@Melkiador That's a pretty good idea! Slayer talents allow Ranger combat style bonus feats(Mounted Combat) in exchange for Wild Shape. This could allow powerful Druid magic, spontaneous summoning and plenty of feats to feed to the engine of mounted combat.
Versatility+ Feats (Ranger *Skirmisher*)
Full-Plate War Tiger+ Feats (Fighter; Roughrider)
Raging Murder Machine (Barbarian; Mounted Fury)
Good Magic+ Monstrous Tiger (Hunter; Primal Companion Hunter)
Great Magic+ Feats (Druid; Nature Fang)