“Wild at Heart: Mountain Lion Breaks Into Pet Store, Gets High on Catnip Like a Housecat Gone Rogue”
Colorado Springs, CO — Early morning staff at a local pet store expected barking dogs and meowing kittens… but they weren’t ready for this customer.
In what can only be described as a scene straight out of a nature-documentary-meets-stoner-comedy, security footage revealed a full-grown mountain lion casually strolling through the store after hours — not for food, not for shelter… but for catnip.
Yes, catnip.
The big cat passed by the dog food, ignored the fish tanks, and made a determined walk straight to the cat toy aisle, where it found the holy grail: a shelf packed with catnip bags. What happened next was both adorable and unbelievable.
The mountain lion pawed a bag off the shelf, tore it open with practiced ease, and immediately dropped to the floor like it had found nirvana. Rolling, rubbing, and purring (probably), it wallowed in the shredded mess like a kitten in ecstasy.
When employees opened up shop the next morning, they were greeted not by the usual rush of customers, but by a dazed, blissed-out apex predator stoned on catnip.
Wildlife officers were called in and, after some gentle persuasion (and likely a few deep breaths), they managed to lead the lion out safely and release it back into the nearby hills — hopefully with a good story to tell the others.
Experts are scratching their heads. While domestic cats are famously addicted to catnip, mountain lions don’t typically react to it. So what happened?
“It could’ve been the strong scent, a moment of curiosity, or maybe this guy just wanted to feel something,” said one wildlife biologist.
The store owner took it in stride: “Hey, this is Colorado. Our plants have a reputation. Looks like the wildlife’s catching on too.”
One thing’s for sure: This is one customer that left with more than a receipt — he left with a serious catnip crush.
Colorado Springs, CO – You’ve heard of shoplifters. You’ve heard of stoners. But what happens when nature itself decides to combine the two into one jaw-dropping midnight escapade?
Staff at a quiet Colorado Springs pet store got the shock of their lives when they walked in early one morning… only to find a giant mountain lion sprawled out in the cat toy aisle, surrounded by torn packaging and a cloud of shredded catnip. And no — this isn’t the setup to a joke. It actually happened.
🕵️♂️ The Mystery Intruder
The story began around 2:30 a.m., when the store’s motion-triggered cameras picked up some movement near the back entrance. At first, it looked like just another shadow. But a closer look at the footage revealed something far more wild — literally.
A full-grown mountain lion had somehow slipped into the store through an unsecured service door. Silently, like a feline ghost, it wandered through the dimly lit aisles with surprising calm and purpose — like it knew exactly what it was looking for.
🚫 No Interest in Dog Food, Bird Seed, or Fish
Store manager Karen Delaney, reviewing the security footage the next day, was stunned. “It just… walked in like it owned the place,” she said. “Didn’t even sniff the dog treats. Just bypassed everything like it was on a mission.”
Indeed, the mountain lion padded past bins of kibble, shelves of chew toys, tanks of exotic fish, and stacks of bird seed — pausing only briefly to glance at a squeaky toy shaped like a squirrel.
But then, something caught its nose. Something irresistible.
😼 The Call of the Catnip
Witnesses say the lion made a beeline for the cat toy aisle. It sniffed the air, head tilted, eyes dilated. Then — jackpot.
The predator located a bottom shelf overflowing with catnip bags and toy mice stuffed with the good stuff. Without hesitation, it knocked a bag to the floor, ripped it open like it was tearing into fresh prey, and immediately dropped to the ground in pure feline ecstasy.
“I’ve seen house cats react to catnip, but this?” said Delaney. “This was next-level. It rolled. It rubbed its face. It kicked. At one point I think it even drooled a little.”
The footage, which has now gone viral on social media, shows the massive cat flopping around like a tipsy kitten at a birthday party — all 150 pounds of it completely overtaken by whatever was in that bag.
🛍️ The Morning After
By the time employees arrived to open the store at 8 a.m., they weren’t greeted by customers — they were greeted by chaos. Shredded packaging littered the floor. Shelves were half-empty. And there, in the middle of it all, lay a very chill, very sleepy, catnip-covered mountain lion.
“I froze,” said assistant manager Luis Vega. “I thought maybe I was still dreaming. Or maybe we got a new display animal. Then it blinked at me, yawned, and licked its paw.”
Wildlife officers were quickly called to the scene. After about 45 minutes — and several pounds of raw meat used as bait — they managed to gently coax the lion out of the store and back into the surrounding wilderness. It reportedly paused at the exit, looked back at the catnip aisle longingly, and disappeared into the trees.
🧠 Experts Weigh In
So why would a wild apex predator behave like a common house cat on a Saturday morning?
Wildlife biologist Dr. Megan Arliss has a theory. “Mountain lions aren’t known to be affected by catnip in the same way domestic cats are. But scent curiosity is very strong in all felines. It could have been the concentrated aroma, or even the texture. Or maybe this one was just… special.”
Dr. Arliss added, “Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’ve studied big cats for 20 years.”
🌿 “Only in Colorado…”
Locals are now calling the mountain lion the “Catnip Bandit”, and the store has even started selling limited-edition T-shirts featuring a cartoon version of the animal rolling in catnip under the words: “Stay Wild.”
When asked for comment, store owner Tom Whitaker chuckled. “What can I say? Colorado is famous for its natural plants making people feel good. Looks like the animals are catching on.”
Since the incident, the store has upgraded its security system — but staff admit they kind of hope the big cat makes a return.
“It’s not every day you meet a customer who knows exactly what they want,” said Vega. “Even if that customer could eat you.”
📸 WATCH THE VIDEO: [Click here to see the viral security footage of the mountain lion’s catnip moment.]
🧢 Merch Available: Catnip Bandit shirts and mugs now available in-store and online!