‘Unsettling’ video shows apex predator carrying pet cat through CA neighborhood
Residents are on edge after an apex predator was spotted carrying a pet cat through a California neighborhood, video shows.
A resident encountered the dead cat in the street, KSBW reported.
“I was walking up the street and then I had seen a cat that had passed away,” they told the news outlet. “And at first I thought, like, there’s some cruel people around here.”
Then Seaside Fire & Police alerted the community about the mountain lion sighting in a July 2 post on Facebook.
“Unfortunately, the presence of the mountain lion came to our attention after a resident’s cat was taken,” the agency said in the post. “Our hearts go out to the pet owner, and we know this news is unsettling.”
Screenshots from the video show the mountain lion carrying the cat in its mouth as it strolls down the neighborhood street. A video in the comments shows the video footage.
“Wow that’s right in the middle of dense housing…,” someone said in the comments.
Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges confirmed the incident to KSBW.
“About 4:40 in the morning, neighbors captured on video a mountain lion that was walking through this neighborhood right where we’re standing and ultimately attacked somebody’s pet cat and killed it,” he told the outlet. “Very tragic situation. Killed it right here in the street.”
Some wondered in the comments whether the cougar might return because of its hunting success in the neighborhood.
“That’s scary,” they said. “Now that it found food there, it might come back for more.”
Residents should be on alert, especially if they have pets or kids, officials said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we’re asking residents to please keep pets indoors and stay alert, especially during early morning and evening hours when wildlife is most active,” Seaside Fire & Police said. “While mountain lion sightings are uncommon in Seaside, they do occasionally travel through neighborhoods, particularly when searching for food or water. We will continue monitoring the area and share updates as we receive them.”
Seaside is about a 120-mile drive south from San Francisco.
What to do if you see a mountain lion
Mountain lions are typically “calm, quiet and elusive,” according to the National Park Service. While attacks involving mountain lions are rare, they are possible.
“Even so, the potential for being killed or injured by a mountain lion is quite low compared to many other natural hazards,” the National Park Service said on its website. “There is a far greater risk, for example, of being killed in an automobile accident with a deer than of being attacked by a mountain lion.”
Officials said there are some things you can do to prevent a mountain lion encounter from becoming an attack.
Stay calm and back away slowly.
Face the lion and stand up straight.
Don’t approach a mountain lion, especially if it’s with kittens.
Don’t run. It could stimulate a mountain lion’s chase instincts.
Pick up small children so they don’t panic or run away.
Don’t bend over or crouch down.
Throw things at the mountain lion if it continues to move toward you.
If the mountain lion attacks, fight back using anything around you.
Report all sightings, encounters or attacks to local park rangers or law enforcement.
This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 10:40 AM with the headline "‘Unsettling’ video shows apex predator carrying pet cat through CA neighborhood."
