Stepping partially onto his porch to investigate a loud noise and trying to keep his dogs inside, Michael Warren, 47, felt something grab his leg, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said in a release.

When he had a moment to look, Warren saw a mountain lion running away, the release said. Security camera footage also confirmed the encounter.

Warren suffered multiple puncture wounds to his lower right leg but declined medical treatment at the scene, the release said. He called police to report the attack.

Parks and Wildlife officials investigating the attack recognized the wounds as punctures from claws and officials are now searching for the mountain lion, the release said. So far staff and a team of hound dogs have not yet been able to track the lion. They also set a trap at Warren’s home.

The mountain lion had likely been to the home before, the release said. Two of Warren’s four domestic house cats recently disappeared, potentially preyed on by the animal. Another person reported last month that a mountain lion killed chickens and a cat nearby.

“Judging by the tracks we found and the footage we have along with the victim’s statement, we believe it is a young, sub-adult lion,” area district wildlife manager Matt Sturdevant said. “We also believe it is the same lion that had been hanging out in the area for a bit.”

Sunday’s attack marks the first time a mountain lion has attacked a person in Colorado since March of 2020 and the 23rd time someone has been injured by a lion since 1990, the release said. Mountain lions have killed three people in Colorado since 1990.

Parks and Wildlife officials continue to look for the lion.

Mountain lion sightings are becoming more frequent in Colorado with state officials saying that their populations are thriving.

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