Mountain lion spotted roaming Monrovia neighborhood

June 23, 2020 1:34 PM PT

A stray cat by the school or in the frontyard isn’t typically much of a problem. But in Monrovia, where multiple sightings of a mountain lion have been reported, police are cautioning residents to keep an eye out.

Over the past four days, several Monrovia residents have reported seeing a big cat around the 800 block of West Olive and the 600 block of South Monterey to police. The most recent report came in early Tuesday.

“It’s been reported in several parts of the town. This morning, a resident stepped outside and saw it on their lawn,” Monrovia police Lt. Jaime Alfaro said.

In a video shared on a local Facebook page, the mountain lion is seen in sleek silhouette, black in the night and low to the ground.

“Be careful with your pets,” user Stephanie Armenta warns in the post.

Another clip broadcast by KTTV-TV shows the big cat strolling up a driveway and then hopping a fence into a backyard.

Police said although there have been several sightings, it’s the same animal.

“It’s been kind of a nuisance for these last couple of days,” Alfaro said.

Monrovia officers searched for the lion Monday night but didn’t find it.

Police did offer residents advice in case they come across the big cat.

“If you see the mountain lion in your yard, make loud noises and avoid approaching the animal,” the Monrovia Police Department said in a Tuesday morning release.

Alfaro said agents from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were in Monrovia and would try to tranquilize and relocate the animal.

“That cat has not posed a threat to any residents directly. The fact that it’s there is a danger, but we haven’t received any phone calls that it has tracked any residents or pets,” Alfaro said.

The search continued Tuesday, but the big cat was still on the loose at midday.

“Residents are cautioned to be extra vigilant and not to leave pets or small children unattended,” the Police Department’s release said.