Top-five fastest felines in honour of National Cat Day

Although most cats will be spending the day sleeping, avoiding danger despite leaping off of objects, and clawing at inanimate objects, there are a few felines that can run like the wind.

To celebrate National Cat Day, founded in 2005 by animal welfare advocates Colleen Paige and Adam Olis, we countdown the top-five fastest felines.

Honourable mention: Egyptian Mau – 45 km/h

The Egyptian Mau is the world’s fastest domesticated cat and gets an honourable mention as the only house cat on the list.

Tiger – 49 to 65 km/h

Although its speed is limited to short bursts, the largest of the big cat species can weigh up to 857 pounds.

Jaguar – 65 km/h

The largest feline in the Americas, which closely resembles the appearance of a leopard, can be found throughout the Southwestern United States and as far south as Argentina.

Cougar – 64 to 80 km/h

The cougar has the largest range of any wild land animal in the Western Hemisphere and are rarely seen during daylight hours.

Lion – 80 km/h

One of the most recognizable animals, the lion has a lifespan of just 14 years because of injuries sustained from continued fighting among male rivals.

Cheetah – 113 km/h

Not surprisingly, the world’s fastest land mammal checks in at No. 1. At full speed, a cheetah can cover seven metres in a single stride. Train all you want but there’s no chance you’ll have a shot at outsprinting this feline speedster. Rugby star Bryan Habana sure couldn’t as seen in the video below.