Actually that thread stands as one of the board’s ugliest examples of self-righteous, but erroneous, “group think”. Blake was essentially correct (nit-picking is always possible) and the people arguing against him were wrong in a dozen different ways – but no one cared about the gross lapses of logic from the posters who were on the same side as themselves.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=230754&page=4
The thread was re-animated this year. Best evidence currently available: YouTube video showing a cougar jumping about a meter, and a Savannah Cat reaching 48". The links in the reactivated thread are still working.
Your “two foot” reference is wrong. That was an initial value from Blake that he indicated was being made from memory, and was altered to “about a meter” after he checked his sources.
Of course if you have better evidence than that presented please offer it up. Better evidence is always a good thing.