Neighbors along the Los Padres Trail in Ventura County were convinced they saw a baby cougar on their security cameras this month.
But it wasn't a small puma. It was a large domestic cat, officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told the Times on Tuesday.
The McGee family of Thousand Oaks told KTLA they had seen a cougar cub on their property after reviewing security footage from motion-activated cameras. Other neighbors feared for their pets, the news station reported.
But Tim Daly, public information officer for Fish and Wildlife's South Coast and Inland Desert regions, said the agency investigated the claim and discovered the animal in question was actually a large domestic cat.
“One of our biologists saw the story after it appeared and made sure this morning that the rest of us were aware,” he said.
The McGees did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
It's not the first time California residents have confused a tame tabby with a ferocious bobcat.
In March, the South San Francisco Police Department posted Ring camera footage of an alleged cougar on its Facebook page, following reports that the animal was prowling through a residential neighborhood.
An update from the department clarified that the animal was actually a domestic cat. One resident responded to the post with a photo of the kitten asleep on a wicker chair between two smiling children.
