What could this be?

[Hynerpeton]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mystery-animal-roams-streets-california/story?id=24829835

Look here

[CityRaptor]

Looks like a cat.
Why is that even in this section? That thing won't turn out to be a Smilodon or something....

[SpittersForEver]

It is probably an albino puma 

[stargatedalek]

It is probably an albino puma 

why must it be an albino? its just the lighting making it look white

in California it could be either a puma, a jaguar, or an escaped cat from captivity

[CityRaptor]

Because Albino sounds more dramatic.   

[SpittersForEver]

Because Albino sounds more dramatic.   

Exactly

[Hynerpeton]

I did not know where to put it. Can gladly ask a mod to lock this is its "Such A Big Deal"  

[Gwangi]

Everything I've read so far seems to lean towards it being an African lion. Probably a released pet if it is.

[Hynerpeton]

Funny reporters and scientists say its not.

[stargatedalek]

wild cougars and jaguars can be found in California, but it could easily be an escaped lion

[Seijun]

Based on just that one image, I'm not sure where everyone is getting the big cat idea from? Its hard to even tell the size but it just looks like a yellow Labrador to me. Even if it was a cat... again we cant tell the size.. it could be a large house cat or even a mountain lion. All three of those options are far, far more likely than escaped pet African lion.

Also, just an FYI, the animal is probably not pure white. With security footage like that, anything light colored will look white. Even the ground in the image looks white.

EDIT: Here are better pictures and even video http://ktla.com/2014/08/01/norwalk-mystery-animal-is-no-mountain-lion-but-what-is-it/
It looks more lion-like here, but the short tail, and the fact that "released pet lion" incidents are virtually unheard of in the states, leads me to still suspect dog. In every instance that I know of where a non-native big cat was released or escaped, its always been found out immediately because lions and tigers never seem too keen on hiding, lol.

[Tyrannax]

Wouldn't simply having knowledge of the locomotion of both large cats and dogs make the identification of the animal's family almost obvious? Surely watching it move shouldn't stump a mammalogist (or someone who's been comparing the two through youtube videos) studying the video.

[EmperorDinobot]

Here in the US, I've heard that it is easier to get a lion or a tiger than it is to adopt a dog, so it would not surprise me if this was an escaped lion pet that belonged to some narc.

[stargatedalek]

I'm 100% certain its a cat, look at how it moves, how it holds its tail, the shape of the skull, its certainly a cat

what kind of cat I have no idea other than whats most likely

[CityRaptor]

Definately a cat. That is exactly how my brother's cat moves!
And it looks rather small as opposed to being a supposedly large animal...so maybe a big housecat.

[stargatedalek]

definitely not a house cat, its not a huge animal but its significantly large

[Chad]

Here in the US, I've heard that it is easier to get a lion or a tiger than it is to adopt a dog, so it would not surprise me if this was an escaped lion pet that belonged to some narc.

Wait. What? I will politely express skepticism that this is true.

[Patrx]

Here in the US, I've heard that it is easier to get a lion or a tiger than it is to adopt a dog, so it would not surprise me if this was an escaped lion pet that belonged to some narc.

Wait. What? I will politely express skepticism that this is true.

Indeed, what do you mean? I'll grant that I've never attempted to adopt a big cat, but adopting a dog is a very straightforward process.

_{Also, what is a "narc"?}

[stargatedalek]

Many states its nigh impossible to "adopt" any sort of large animal like that, but in some states its shockingly easy to adopt large exotic or even endangered species. Some states even allow endangered species to be put into "hunting ranches". Which is what sometimes tends to get brought up again and cause another media stir about it being to easy to acquire endangered species (namely big cats especially tigers), which I assume is what you were thinking of when you said it was easier to get a lion than a dog.

but its far easier to acquire a domestic dog regardless of where you live, anywhere in the world

[Gwangi]

Here are better pictures and even video http://ktla.com/2014/08/01/norwalk-mystery-animal-is-no-mountain-lion-but-what-is-it/
It looks more lion-like here, but the short tail, and the fact that "released pet lion" incidents are virtually unheard of in the states, leads me to still suspect dog. In every instance that I know of where a non-native big cat was released or escaped, its always been found out immediately because lions and tigers never seem too keen on hiding, lol.

But they do happen. Case in point, 2002 Arkansas.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lion-scare-has-arkansas-town-on-edge/

And according to an article by the LA times...

Craig Packer -- a professor at the University of Minnesota Lion Research Center and author of "Into Africa" -- said after examining the footage: "Yes, it certainly does look like an African lion. It's not a cougar."

Dale Anderson, executive director and founder of the Project Survival Cat Haven in Dunlap, Calif. -- a big cat sanctuary -- reviewed the video and said the animal appeared to be an African lion, pointing to its gait and physical characteristics.

Of course, their are other possibilities but it would certainly seem to be a large cat of some sort.

Joel Almquist -- executive director and founder of the Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary, which houses one lioness -- said that after reviewing the footage repeatedly, he at first thought it was a dog. But upon closer inspection, said he thought it was leopard, noting its movement and height.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-african-lion-possible-norwalk-video-20140801-story.html