Canadian police leave cat filter on during livestreamed press conference on highway murders

Police were quick to correct the mistake but it soon went viral. Photo / Twitter

Canadian police have been left red-faced after livestreaming a press conference on a horrific double murder and forgetting to turn off the cat filter.

A senior officer was left with cat ears and whiskers after the effect, which automatically places cat features on human faces, was left switched on before the stream began.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were supposed to be giving a very serious press conference into the brutal killing of Australian Lucas Fowler and his American partner Chynna Deese.

Their bodies were found on the remote Alaska Highway in British Columbia earlier this week and the discovery has sparked fears of a serial killer.

The B.C. RCMP are giving a press conference on the two people murdered on the Alaska Highway, and they have the cat ear filter on. pic.twitter.com/j8GvkvKA4u

— Tyler Dawson (@tylerrdawson) July 19, 2019

Instead, Sergeant Janelle Shoihet delivered the latest information on the case while sporting pink ears, a black nose and whiskers.

After a series of messages from social media users, the RCMP tweeted: "Yes we are aware and addressing it as it's an automatic setting.

"Thank you, we will rectify and issue a video shortly," they added, later posting a cleaned-up version.

Twitter users were quick to mock the police for their mistake, with one asking "are you going to fix that right meow?"

Are you going to fix that right meow?

— Ben Beecher (@Kanja) July 19, 2019

Fowler and Deese were found on the side of the highway on July 15, around 20km south of Liard Hot Springs. Canada's north district major crimes unit and Northern Rockies Royal Canadian Mounted Police are seeking dashcam footage and looking to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time.

Lucas Fowler and his girlfriend Chynna Deese were victims of violent homicide. Photo / Supplied

Police said details are limited but "both deaths appeared to be suspicious". They couldn't immediately comment on whether public safety was a concern.

Canadian police are looking for anyone who saw the vehicle or offered assistance. They're also appealing for anyone who travelled the stretch of highway around the time of the discovery to come forward, according to a RCMP media release.