Suspected home intruder leaps from 2nd-floor bathroom window -- and lands on its feet
Sheriff's deputies in Tuolumne County responded to a call Monday night of a break-in -- but it wasn't a typical cat burglar.
A mountain lion slipped through the front door of a home in Sonora before panicking and making a mad dash into a bathroom.
Capt. Patrick Foy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told ABC News that in the 23 years he's worked at the agency, he's only heard of three similar incidents of mountain lions breaking into homes.
"While it is not common, it is not unheard of," Foy said.
With permission from the homeowner, who initially suspected an actual burglar, officials used a two-by-four plank of wood to break the bathroom window, creating enough space for the lion to escape without injury. Soon after, officials banged on the bathroom door, creating enough noise to scare the mountain lion outside.
The cat's leap from the second floor was shown in a video posted to Facebook by the Tuolumne County Sheriff.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as long as mountain lions aren't exhibiting aggressive behavior, they tend to be "shy and extremely stealthy" and don't pose a threat to public safety.
