Authorities in Houston have arrested a man who reportedly escaped officers while keeping a Bengal tiger in his yard, but the tiger still remains loose.

"The tiger's whereabouts are unknown," Houston police tweeted on Monday.

On Sunday, Victor Hugo Cuevas, 26, was out on bail for a previous murder conviction in Fort Bend County when neighbours found the tiger in a front yard, according to Houston Police Commander Ron Borza.

According to Borza, there were also rumors that the suspect had monkeys, which are permitted in the area. While owning a tiger is illegal in Houston, it is legal under Texas state law, subject to certain restrictions.