Idaho power officials have blamed a cat for a blackout on Monday afternoon that affected more than 12,000 homes and businesses in Nampa City.

The blackout lasted more than two hours, and officials say it was started when feeder lines blew up after a cat touched a live circuit inside a power substation. The cat was electrocuted to death.

The cat entered the electrical substation, presumably looking to keep warm near a transformer. It came into contact with a live circuit and caused nine feeder lines to explode, utility spokesman Dennis Lopez told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The power outage also paralyzed traffic lights in the city prompting police to assign officers at affected intersections to direct and monitor traffic, as well as assist commuters and motorists.