Dog chases mountain lion up a tree in Tustin

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Authorities responding to a call reporting a "cat in a tree" in Tustin got quite the surprise when they encountered a much larger cat than expected.

According to police, the family let their dog out and it chased what appeared to be a cat up a tree. 

"When they looked a little closer, this wasn't just any cat, but a California Mountain Lion," police wrote on social media. 

The dog chased the mountain lion up a tree, where the cat stayed for nearly seven hours. 

"She just went bolting and all of a sudden there was a mountain lion in our tree," said Danielle Conners, the dog's owner.

The 8-year-old whippet beagle mix spotted the mountain lion hiding under a truck and took off after him.

Officials with the Orange County Fire Authority responded to the home in the area of Irvine Boulevard and Holt Avenue to assist the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in removing the young male mountain lion from the tree.

The mountain lion was tranquilized and removed from the tree, then provided care by Fish and Game biologists, according to the OC Fire Authority. 

The cat was then sent to a processing center and then back into the wild in the Cleveland National Forest. 

Authorities said the incident is a reminder to give wildlife their space and call authorities for further assistance. 

"Mountain lions can be dangerous and should never be approached," police said.