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Mountain lions eating pets Study finds more than half of California’s lions have dogs and cats in their stomachs Of 83 mountain lions tested, 52 per cent had eaten a domesticated pet Deer meat found in the stomachs of only five per cent By JAKE POLDEN FOR MAILONLINE 06:34 EST, 15 February 2016 A staggering amount of mountain lions legally killed last year were found to have eaten a domesticated pet, according to a report. The Department of Fish and Wildlife in California carried out the study, which analyzed the stomach contents of 83 of the 107 mountain lions legally killed under provisions of special permits. The study found that of the animals successfully analyzed, an unbelievable 52 per cent were found to have eaten a dog, cat or other household pet. As a contrast, deer, which is considered to be the favored prey of the animal, was only present in the stomach of five per cent, according to SF Gate. It is believed that deer, which is better suited to living in the wild, is much harder to catch than a domesticated pet. The rest of the study found that the stomach contents of 18 per cent of the lions were too digested to be identified. While nine per cent had empty stomachs. The remaining 16 per cent of the 107 mountain lions were not studied for the report. The shocking numbers were confirmed by The Department of Fish and Wildlife, who warned pet owners to keep their animals on leashes in park lands and near open spaces. In addition to the threat from mountain lions, coyotes are another predator owners are being told to protect their pets from. Andrew Hughan, of the DFW, said that the safety of a pet is the responsibility of the owner, especially if you live in an area close to the habitat of a wild animal, reported SF Gate. He added that pet owners should keep a close eye on their pet when they are out and that the animal should always be on a leash. It is also important to consider what is around you and even behind you as coyotes have a tendency to sneak up on people. Hughan said that owners should ideally go into the yard with their pets when they let them out at night time. The presence of a human can act as a deterrent and prevent a coyote jumping over a fence and stealing a small dog or cat.