Scary Essex lion probably just friendly kitty named Teddy Bear

Put away that hunting rifle, turns out that lion on the loose in Essex, U.K. is probably just a neighborhood kitty. Here’s the disappointing photo that sparked a high-gear police and emergency crew operation, complete with helicopters and heat-seeking equipment. This guy is more likely 3-year-old, ginger-colored, domestic Maine Coon Teddy Bear strolling in the local fields. Gargantuan Maine Coons can tip the scales at 25 pounds or more and grow to 16 inches tall. But lion-spotters Gill and Steve Atkin adamantly told the BBC there’s a beast at large, despite zero confirmed sightings of droppings or paw prints: "I still don't think it was a domestic cat,” says Gill. "Whatever it was, it's definitely still out there." [Source]

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