How fast can a house cat run?

House cats can run at top speeds of around 30 miles per hour. This is a comparable maximum running speed to those of white tail deer, warthogs and grizzly bears. It is also the top speed achieved by track star Usain Bolt.

The house cat's top speed is less than half that of a cheetah, which runs 70 miles per hour, but only 14 miles per hour behind that of a horse. Cats only tend to run at such speeds when they have to, however, either to escape a threat or to catch prey. While cats need exercise, it is therefore unnecessary to let them run for extended periods outside.