Which is bigger, cougar or spotted hyena?

Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on weight — about 1.1×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

How do cougars and spotted hyenas compare on height?

Cougar: 0.6–0.8 m. Spotted hyena: 0.7–0.92 m. Spotted hyena is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.

How do cougars and spotted hyenas compare on length?

Cougar: 1–1.8 m. Spotted hyena: 0.95–1.6 m. Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on length — about 1.2×.

Cougar vs Spotted hyena

Cougar vs spotted hyena

Cougar is larger on weight

Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on weight — about 1.1×.

A cougar and a spotted hyena 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.
	Cougar	Spotted hyena
Weight	29–100 kg	40–86 kg
Height	0.6–0.8 m	0.7–0.92 m
Length	1–1.8 m	0.95–1.6 m
Top speed	80 km/h	60 km/h
Typical lifespan	8–20 yr	12–25 yr

What the numbers say

Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on weight — about 1.1×.
Spotted hyena is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.
Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on length — about 1.2×.
Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on top speed — about 1.3×.
Spotted hyena is 2× cougar on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

Cougar 29–100 kg

Spotted hyena 40–86 kg

Cougar

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

Spotted hyena

A social carnivore whose jaws crack bone; females are larger than males and lead the clan.

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, cougar or spotted hyena?: Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on weight — about 1.1×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do cougars and spotted hyenas compare on height?: Cougar: 0.6–0.8 m. Spotted hyena: 0.7–0.92 m. Spotted hyena is somewhat greater than cougar on height — about 1.1×.
How do cougars and spotted hyenas compare on length?: Cougar: 1–1.8 m. Spotted hyena: 0.95–1.6 m. Cougar is somewhat greater than spotted hyena on length — about 1.2×.

Sources

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

How these figures are compiled and checked