Mountain lion rescued from tree outside Orange County home

First responders rescued a young mountain lion from a tree after he wandered into the yard of an Orange County home on Monday afternoon, officials reported.

“One Tustin family was in for quite the shock when they let their dog out in the morning and it chased a cat up a tree,” wrote the Tustin Police Department. “When they looked a little closer, this wasn’t just any cat, but a California Mountain Lion.”

Firefighters responded to the home, located near Irvine Boulevard and Holt Avenue, to help Fish & Game personnel remove the animal.

“For the safety of the animal and first responders, the lion was tranquilized and removed from the tree,” reported the Orange County Fire Authority on X. “Biologists from Fish & Game then provided care and prepared the cat for transport — first to a processing center and then back into the wild, albeit an area much further from civilization.”

The X post was accompanied by a video compilation of the rescue showing the young cat seeming to be stuck about 20 feet high, with his front legs clinging onto branches and his bottom legs kicking the air below.

The video then skips to a group of about five responders, made up of both fire and animal services personnel, carrying the tranquilized animal to treat him on the ground.

“While this is not common, we are proud to be of service to our partners at Fish & Game,” said the OCFA. “Today’s incident is also a reminder that when it comes to wildlife, giving them their space and calling the appropriate authorities is best for their safety and ours.”

Tustin Police said the mountain lion was safely brought to the Cleveland National Forest.

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