The tired old cliché about firefighters rescuing cats from tree was given a terrifying twist in California this week.

Firefighters from Hesperia, were called out to reports of a mountain lion stuck 50ft up a tree. The cat was spotted by a local resident, who decided to, sensibly, call in some help.

The cat was spotted by a concerned local resident. Credit: California Department of Fish & Wildlife

Animal handlers were also called to the scene to deal with the big cat, which had been tranqulised before it could be rescued.

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Firefighters had to prop a ladder up against the tree, climb it, put a harness on the now sedated mountain lion, and then help to lower it safely to ground.

Wildlife warden Rick Fischer said: "Leaving the lion in the tree would not have been safe for the community.

"Once the lion regained consciousness, we ensured he safely returned to his suitable habitat."

So that's good.

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Firefighters and animal handlers were called out to deal with the mountain lion. Credit: California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Explaining how the cat ended up in a residential area, fish and wildlife biologist Kevin Brennan added: "It is common for young mountain lions to wander outside what some would consider normal habitat in an attempt to establish their territory."

Earlier this month, a US man hit headlines after he managed to fight off and strangle a mountain lion that attacked him while he was out running.

Thirty-one-year old Travis Kauffman was out running in Colorado when the lion pounced him, leaving him with no options to fight for his life.

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Speaking about the incident, Kauffman said: "It was going up towards my face so I threw up my hands to kind of block my face, at which point it grabbed onto my hand and wrist and from there it started to claw at my face and neck.

"And that's when kind of my fear response turned into more of a fight response.

"Because I'm a recent cat owner, I know that the back claws are pretty dangerous when it comes down to an attack. And I was pretty worried about its claws just sinking into my stomach and groin area.

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