LIBERTY, Mo. — Liberty police are reminding people that things aren’t always as they seem.

That’s true for a woman who lives in the northern part of the city.

The Liberty Police Department said a woman picked up a wild animal near U.S. Highway 69 and State Route 33 last week. The animal turned out to be a bobcat.

An officer said the bobcat bit the woman on the thumb. Medics checked out the bite and said it wasn’t severe enough to transport the woman to a hospital.

Police say bobcats are not uncommon in Liberty, especially in the more rural areas of the community.

The department says people should avoid contact with any strange animals.