The South San Francisco Police Department provided advice for residents who see real mountain lions
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A California resident severely miscalculated a situation after mistaking a large domestic cat for a mountain lion.
In a Mar. 26 Facebook post, the South San Francisco Police Department explained that it was called over to a residential area due to a potential cougar sighting.
"That’s a BIG cat!" the post began. "This morning a South San Francisco resident reported seeing a mountain lion via RING camera a little after 7 a.m. on the 200 block of Mansfield Drive."
Authorities rushed over to the scene to potentially handle the potentially dangerous creature – but had no luck finding it.
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The South San Francisco Police Department reported that a large cat was mistaken for a cougar. (South San Francisco Police Department)
"Officers conducted an area check, but were unable to locate this furry guy and there were no additional sightings," the office said.
In an update, officers said that they were "happy to report there is no potential threat for the neighborhood."
Nevertheless, authorities advised residents on what they should do if they do see a mountain lion in the flesh.
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A California mountain lion. (nps.gov)
"Out of an abundance of caution we wanted to share some tips on what to do if you do encounter one of these guys, or any wildlife, in your neighborhood," the department explained.
"If confronted with a mountain lion, make your presence known; make noise, try to make yourself appear bigger & back away slowly."
The police department also urges residents to not leave their pets' food outside, as this can lure mountain lions into suburban areas.
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"Report any mountain lion encounter or incident to your local Police Department, local ranger district or fish and wildlife office," the post added.
The South San Francisco Police Department made a humorous post about the incident on Mar. 27. (Google Maps)
"We’d like to remind our residents to avoid mountain lions, even at a distance a brief glimpse should be cause for alarm."
Residents in the Facebook post's comments section got a kick out of the news.
"If that is what she considered a mountain lion, I hate to see what she would consider my house cats!" one person wrote.
"I think it looks like big foot," another joked.
File photo shows a mountain lion photographed in November 2014 in the Griffith Park area near downtown Los Angeles. (U.S. National Park Service, via AP, File)
Fox News Digital reached out to South San Francisco Police Department for comment. No additional details were available.
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Andrea Vacchiano is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can follow her on X at @andrea_vacch or send story tips to
