Probably an older Cat... once they loose their teeth they start hanging out around garbage pits... still dangerous cause they have “CLAWS” my first Dog learned that the hard way.
TT
Some articles speculated that the cat was after deer, which have been known to roam through urban areas. But even if she was prowling after Bambi munching roses in someone's front yard, that's still a pretty bold (and desperate) cat. I speculate that in this restaurant-rich neighborhood, there were rats attracted to the food dumpsters in the back of the various dining establishments, and feral or semi-feral cats preying on the rats. A domestic cat (or a few rats) could be an easy catch for a mountain lion and just enough of a snack for sustenance.
From the article:
"To have something like that happen is very scary," Charlesworth said. "It makes me think that the animal either had to be pretty sick or very hungry to come down this far, because it's so close to people."
"In the case of this mountain lion that showed up in an area that was completely unnatural for that lion to be there, hopping from one backyard to the next, running through the church playground and the parking lot, it's a threat to public safety," Foy said. "We're very supportive of Berkeley PD's action."
Kitty cat seemed pretty familiar with the neighborhood. Interesting.
Google Maps: check out Shattuck and Cedar Streets, Berkeley, CA to get an idea of the terrain.