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Dog chases mountain lion up tree in Tustin

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Published  November 19, 2024 12:43pm PST
Wild Nature
FOX 11
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The Brief

    • A Tustin family was surprised to see their dog chase what was later identified as a mountain lion up a tree in their yard.
    • OC Fire Authority and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the home to safely remove the mountain lion.
    • The mountain lion was tranquilized and released into the Cleveland National Forest.

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. 

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 that 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. 

The Source: This story was reported with information from the Tustin Police Department and the Orange County Fire Authority.