Mountain lion caught on camera peeking through pet door in California

By Cecilio Padilla

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    SHINGLE SPRINGS, California (KOVR/KMAX) — A Northern California high country resident got a surprising guest peeking through their pet door recently.

The Shingle Springs resident was reviewing their surveillance camera trained on their doggy door Tuesday when they noticed the visitor.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say the incident is uncommon but not unprecedented, noting that the Shingle Springs area is mountain lion country.

“Lions will occasionally investigate homes and properties, particularly if there is food in the area,” Peter Tira with Fish and Wildlife told CBS News Sacramento. “Their favorite food is deer but they will also prey opportunistically on pets and small livestock.”

Tira also noted how important it is for residents to take precautions when mountain lions are present in an area, like keeping pets in at night and securing small livestock.

People living in mountain lion country are also urged to refrain from going out hiking or running alone, in particular at dawn or dusk when the big cats are most active.

Mountain lion attacks are extremely rare, but El Dorado County was the site of an incident in 2024 that saw a cougar kill a young man and injure another. That lion was tracked down by Fish and Wildlife officials and euthanized.

While the big cats are native to almost all of California’s high country areas, mountain lion sightings are also reported from time to time in uncommon places like Sacramento and other parts of the Central Valley.

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