Mountain Lion Stalks California Neighborhood: WATCH YOUR PETS

Residents of a Thousand Oaks neighborhood are on high alert after a young mountain lion was spotted roaming the area. According to FOX5 San Diego , the mountain lion, which appears to be a juvenile, was captured on home surveillance cameras chasing a house cat, causing concern among locals.

Kelly and Mark McGee , residents of the neighborhood , first spotted the mountain lion on their home's motion-activated cameras when it was on their front porch. "It wasn’t full size, so we had to re-look at it and zoom into it and stuff and then we realized, ‘Oh my God, it’s a baby mountain lion,’” Mark explained.

The mountain lion was also captured on cameras at a neighbor's home across the street, where it was seen chasing after a cat. The fate of the cat remains unknown. "We hope it’s okay,” Kelly said. “We haven’t heard of any neighbors missing a cat yet, so hopefully he made it home.”

The neighborhood is located near the Los Padres trail, a wildlife preserve, and residents are accustomed to seeing various animals, including coyotes. However, the recent sightings of the mountain lion have raised concerns, particularly among those with small pets. "They can jump the fence pretty easy and get in the backyard,” Mark explained. “We let our dogs out late. I always worry about that.”

It is unclear if the young mountain lion has siblings also on the hunt. Experts advise residents to secure their pets and remain vigilant.