A homeowner in Kirkland, Washington, called 911 to report a suspected burglary after hearing banging noises inside the house, but responding officers instead found a wild bobcat growling at the top of the staircase. Police used a drone to track the animal's movements from a safe distance before managing to corral it into an isolated room, allowing wildlife officials to safely remove it without anyone, or the bobcat, being hurt.

The incident occurred last week in Kirkland's Moss Bay neighbourhood, and video released by Kirkland Police shows the animal snarling from the stairs. Officers believe the bobcat climbed a tree and entered through an open window, possibly lured in by the resident's own cat, which was later found unharmed. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sedated the bobcat and released it near Forbes Creek, close to its natural habitat, while officials reminded residents never to approach or feed bobcats and to keep pets indoors, particularly between dusk and dawn.