A missing pet cat that was mistakenly confused with a wild bobcat shut down a Pennsylvania high school.
Pupils were sent home after the exotic-looking Clouded Jack cat was caught on security cameras roaming around inside West Scranton High School.
Wildlife officials were called in and spent two hours searching for the animal before tracking it down and realising it was a domestic pet.
“I don’t think anyone would have predicted this, of course, but again, our staff and students did a wonderful job not reacting, just quietly got out of the building and we will let the professionals, animal control, do their job,” said Scranton School District Superintendent Melissa McTiernan.
The cat, named Kakashi, had been missing for three months and has now been reunited with its family.
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“It looks, I mean, identical. It has the colours of a bobcat; it’s missing a tail,” game warden Jon Bowman told WNEP-TV.
“So just err on the side of caution. We wanted to make sure all the students are safe, and staff are safe.”
Kakashi’s owner Sheanine Johnson said she could not believe her pet had been found.
“Had us for a little bit of a run around town, trying to follow up leads and stuff, and then behold, he’s at West (Scranton High School),” she told WNEP.
“So, sorry, guys.”
