A Jefferson County resident thought she was letting in her cat Meatball — but ended up with a full-sized bobcat on her plate instead.

Amy Shelly, who lives in Ken Caryl, thought her pets had knocked over something in her house. When she investigated, she discovered the wild animal at the bottom of her staircase.

She called 911, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office officers responded to the scene.

Thinking it might respond like a typical housecat, one deputy tried using the laser sight on his Taser to lure the bobcat out from behind the TV, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Here, little kitty kitty,” the deputy can be heard saying in body camera footage. According to the video, the deputy’s reasoning was that it would be attracted to laser pointers like a housecat. 

But the bobcat wasn’t having it. It stayed put, unfazed by the glowing green dot.

“It’s not a normal cat,” another deputy responded.

The homeowner told 9NEWS that the deputies left the scene, and the bobcat eventually left on its own four hours later.

Ken Caryl is known for its proximity to the mountains, but it comes at a price of regular wildlife encounters for residents. Shelly told 9NEWS that she has also had birds in her house and a bear in her garage.

“You get very relaxed in your daily life, and you leave your doors open for the fresh air or for your pets to come in and out, and you can’t do that,” she said. “There are bears, there are mountain lions, there are bobcats, there are coyotes, and they are attracted to food.”

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is particularly concerned about bear encounters this time of year. The agency offers a guide and helpful tips to avoid unwanted wildlife encounters.