School locks down because teacher spots a "mountain lion", sending everyone into a frenzy, turns out it was just a chonky orange cat "feasting on a rat"

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Jan 10, 2026 9:00 AM EST

Big cats are just regular cats… but bigger, so it makes sense to confuse them sometimes, right? 

It doesn't happen very often, but we have seen it happen before. Of course, usually, when this happens, people confuse wild kittens for big cats, not fully grown mountain lions. We have seen people accidentally adopt bobcats, more than once, because baby bobcats look just like kittens with slightly funky ears and tails. We have seen someone accidentally adopt a puma, thinking that it was just a funny-looking kitten. We have seen people accidentally adopt Norwegian Forest, Maine Coon cats and other large cat varieties that are not big cats but are still something that you don't generally find by accident. 

But even with everything that we have seen, a group of fully grown adults confusing an adorable ginger cat… that is slightly on the chonkier side, with a whole mountain lion - that is a first for us. And it was a first for everyone else that was involved as well. Thankfully, it was an orange cat and not actually a mountain lion. Would have been worse to make this mistake the other way around. And it is certainly a story that the kids at this school will remember forever. 

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to start your Caturday with the funniest felines on the internet!

Advertisement
  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10593889792
    via Unsplah / Oleksandr Sushko

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • According to KHQ, the incident happened at Groff Elementary School in MOSES LAKE, Wash. On a random Tuesday morning, a mountain lion was spotted on the school premises, sending everyone into a frenzy. According to the communications and public information officer, Claren McLaughlin, the school, of course, followed protocols and promptly went into lockdown at around 10:30 a.m. The classes resumed, but the students stayed indoors where it was safe.

     

     

  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10593920512
    via Unsplah / Jacalyn Beales

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Had we been the parents in that situation, getting a call from our kids that there was a mountain lion roaming around the school, would have probably terrified us. Cute as they are and much as you might want to, mountain lions are not animals you should attempt to befriend in real life. Thankfully, a potentially terrifying story turned into a hilarious one very quickly, when it was revealed that the “mountain lion” in question was actually just a… really plump orange cat.

     

  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10593888768
    via Unsplah / Christopher Ryan

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • In the words of the communication director, the school learned that the mountain lion was just a “fat cat eating a rat”. We can't make too much fun of the people who made the school lock down, even though we do think that the difference between a mountain lion and an orange kitty are pretty obvious. Better safe than sorry, we suppose. But it is hilarious. As McLaughlin said, “While we take all reports seriously, this was the first report we've ever had of this nature”.

  • 04
    RATED Rated Red RED Goff Elementary School in Moses Lake, Washington, went viral for an unforgettable wildlife scare. On a seemingly normal Tuesday morning, reports of a mountain lion near the school led officials to impose an immediate lockdown to protect students and staff. However, the alleged predator turned out to be something far less dangerous—a fat cat feasting on a rat.
    via Rated Red
  • 05
    Washington's diverse landscapes make it a natural home for mountain lions, so the school took no chances when the sighting was reported. As Claren McLaughlin, the school's communications officer, noted, this was the first report of its kind, and they acted swiftly to ensure everyone's safety.
    via Rated Red
  • 06
    After confirming the "mountain lion" was just a plump cat, the lockdown was lifted, and classes resumed, leaving the community with a mix of relief and laughter.
    via Rated Red
  • 07
    Social media couldn't get enough of the story, with comments ranging from disbelief that an overweight cat could catch a rat to wild jokes about the cat defeating the mountain lion. One parent shared that their kids found the incident hilarious, while another commenter recounted a similar childhood experience where wolves turned out to be a golden retriever.
    via Rated Red
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10593913856
    via Unsplah / Dorian Labbe - my_j0urney

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    Andrea Biggs That cat is going to be bragging to all of his other cat friends for years to come. "I always knew I was part lion. They locked down a school because of me!"
    via Andrea Biggs
  • 10
    Hélène Solange Yolande Meanwhile, an actual mountain lion crossed the playground at the nearest elementary school to my house. The mistake is hilarious, but these things do happen.
    via Hélène Solange Yolande
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10593920768
    via Unsplah / Jacalyn Beales

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12
    Connie Loose This actually happened right around me. Two walkers from the nearby public school spotted what they thought was a cougar. The school got locked down. It was eventually confirmed to be my neighbours large orange cat George.
    via Connie Loose
  • 13
    Jed Goss The one nursing home I worked at the activity director was out back smoking. She said she saw a mountain lion behind the building. Turned out to be a large cat. She insisted she saw one. This same lady told us she almost walked up to a coyote once because she thought it was a dog
    via Jed Goss
  • 14
    Michael Golightly You mean to tell me that Garfield is a menace to society?!
    via Michael Golightly
  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10593888256
    via Unsplah / MARIOLA GROBELSKA

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 16
    Nick Stremmel In his defense, they're both orange
    via Nick Stremmel
  • 17
    Sara Beth I hope someone called John to come pick up his cat. Good thing the school locked down. May not have been a mountain lion, but the lasagna planned for lunch in the cafeteria was in grave danger. Better safe than sorry with 200 plus hangry students with no lunch.
    via Sara Beth
  • 18
    James William Seems like the schools should go over animals again.
    via James William
  • 19
    Brock Bigelow Oh LAWD he comin'
    via Brock Bigelow

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

pics hilarious cat funny pics lol funny cats ridiculous silly Cats funny
Scroll Down For The Next Article