Mountain lion chases cat into California home
The mountain lion locked itself inside the family’s bathroom before police were able to knock out the bathroom window where the mountain lion escaped.
A mountain lion who broke into a California home – seemingly in search of his next meal – was cornered into a bathroom after trying to make a run for it.
The "intruder" was spotted by the Sudduth family at their home in Sonora, a city roughly 50 miles northwest of Yosemite National Park, on Sunday night. Homeowner Edward Sudduth said they "were just watching television and then all of a sudden, we heard a big bang."
“We thought it was a dog,” his wife, Kathy Sudduth, told KTXL about the big cat.
Believed to be looking for the neighbor's cat to eat, the lion ended up in their living room, before running into Kathy. Edward said, “His tail was pretty close to me so I just ‘thwipped’ it a little bit like that."
“I was very cognizant of what was going on but I knew what to do,” Edward said, noting he and Kathy locked themselves in a room and contacted 911.
The state's Department of Fish and Wildlife and deputies with the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office responded, and tried to figure out how to release the cat.
Deputies and wildlife officials were able to coax the mountain lion out of the second-floor bathroom window.
(Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators broke the second-floor bathroom window and made some noise before watching the mountain lion jump out.
The mountain lion hasn't been seen since Sunday, according to KTXL. However, wildlife officials "do not consider mountain lion sightings near human habitation a public safety concern as long as the lion is not exhibiting aggressive behavior towards people."
Despite mountain lions not being considered a public safety concern, the sheriff's office warned online that residents should still keep their doors locked and secured. "If you do encounter a mountain lion here are some helpful safety tips: make noise, act defiant and not afraid, maintain eye contact, never run away, slowly create distance, and fight back if you’re attacked!" officials said.
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