A Missoula homeowner said when she entered her home in the Rattlesnake and saw a bear in front of her, she immediately walked outside.
A cat camera in her living room documented the bear inside from 9:44 p.m. to 10:20 p.m., almost 35 minutes.
The bear had crawled through the cat door.
While the homeowner's cat didn't mind the bear, the homeowner came face to face with damage in the kitchen.
She reported the bear opened the fridge and ransacked the pantry.
She said this bear is a repeat offender and has been in other houses in the Rattlesnake over the past week.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reported this was the 10th bear incident in a week, leading them to think it's the same bear doing the damage.
Now, FWP officials are working to trap and relocate it.
"What we see in and around Missoula, especially in the neighborhoods like the Rattlesnake that are right on the edge of town and next to some great wildlife habitat, is that we see bears that will come and wander through town," said Vivaca Crowser with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. "And if they get distracted by something, sometimes that's garbage, sometimes that's dog food, what's left outside bird feeders, access to a garage, where then they find food in there. And then that's what's happened with this bear is it's been able to get into garages and then have access from there into houses."
Crowser confirmed the bear that broke in was a black bear, but with the growing grizzly population, grizzlies could be breaking into homes soon too.
The Rattlesnake homeowner said she's worked really hard to limit bear attractants, like taking out the trash right before service arrives and locking everything inside the garage.
To prevent any bears from entering again, she removed the cat door.
FWP officials advise residents to always lock up trash and smelly attractants that could lead a bear into a garage or home.
FWP also said if a bear enters your home to call 1-800-TIP-MONT or 911.