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Cheetah vs Cougar

Cheetah vs cougar
Cougar is larger on weight
Cougar is somewhat greater than cheetah on weight — about 1.4×.

A cheetah and a cougar can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
Cheetah Cougar
Weight 34–72 kg 29–100 kg
Height 0.7–0.9 m 0.6–0.8 m
Length 1.1–1.5 m 1–1.8 m
Top speed 93–104 km/h 80 km/h
Typical lifespan 8–17 yr 8–20 yr

What the numbers say

  • Cougar is somewhat greater than cheetah on weight — about 1.4×.
  • Cheetah is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.
  • Cougar is somewhat greater than cheetah on length — about 1.2×.
  • Cheetah is somewhat greater than cougar on top speed — about 1.3×.
  • Cheetah and cougar are near enough identical on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

Cougar 29–100 kg
Cheetah 34–72 kg

Cheetah

The fastest land animal, with a lightweight frame and semi-retractable claws for traction.

Cougar

The widest-ranging land mammal in the Americas; despite the size it is more closely related to the domestic cat than to lions.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, cheetah or cougar?
Cougar is somewhat greater than cheetah on weight — about 1.4×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do cheetahs and cougars compare on height?
Cheetah: 0.7–0.9 m. Cougar: 0.6–0.8 m. Cheetah is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.
How do cheetahs and cougars compare on length?
Cheetah: 1.1–1.5 m. Cougar: 1–1.8 m. Cougar is somewhat greater than cheetah on length — about 1.2×.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
  2. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked