How fast can a cougar run?

Cougars can reach speeds of up to 50 mph over short distances, but they cannot keep up such speeds for long. For longer travel, they average a speed of about 10 mph.

Cougars have large paws and hindquarters. These adaptations make them powerful sprinters and jumpers. They primarily use these skills while hunting. In addition to sprinting, cougars often jump to cover long distances quickly. Cougars can jump up to 40 horizontal feet at once and can reach vertical heights of up to 15 feet. Their powerful limbs and large paws also make them fast, skilled climbers that are capable of quickly scaling trees or cliff faces.