PALO ALTO -- A naturalist has concluded that the possible mountain lion sighting on Thursday near Stanford Shopping center was more likely a bobcat, a Palo Alto police spokeswoman said.

Two local residents reported sighting a possible mountain lion in the area of Creek Drive on the Palo Alto-Menlo Park border on Thursday afternoon. Palo Alto police consulted a naturalist who, after talking to one of the reporting parties, concluded the sighting was likely not a mountain lion.

"It's more likely that it's a bobcat than a mountain lion," Palo Alto Police Department spokeswoman Marianna Villaescusa said.

Two Palo Alto police officers and the naturalist were searching along San Francisquito Creek for any signs of the cat.

"We are just trying to be very cautious and make sure our citizens are safe," Villaescusa said.