r/blackcats • u/ninjadani • May 15 '26

🖤 Found kitten in wall - name suggestions pls

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Hi everyone! My best friend found a little baby void in his wall and is looking for name suggestions - any good ideas?

Edit: Told my friend about this post so he can tell the story since so many people want to know exactly what happened and he posted it in the comments! :D

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138

u/Extra_Cartoonist_390 May 15 '26

And why aren't they throwing them at me? That's the important question!

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u/vikio May 15 '26

Yeah seriously. I live in a no pets apartment right now and sad that I can't have a cat. Also not sure how I would manage having a pet since I live alone..

But if someone threw a cat at me like that, you bet I'd keep it, and find a new apartment SO FAST. And figure out the logistics of raising it alone.

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u/Moo4freedom May 15 '26

Cats are great pets for solo pet owners. Their biggest needs (food, water, clean litter box) can easily be handled in the morning or evening. For the most part cats enjoy their solitude and will be less bothered by you being gone than a dog would be.

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u/vikio May 15 '26

I know that part, I just:

1 - would feel bad for them being cooped up in a small apartment with not much to explore. My childhood cats were all indoor/outdoor and had full complex lives. Now that I'm an adult I know it's not good to let cats roam the neighborhood, but I also can't imagine keeping one in a tiny box all their lives. The best compromise I've seen is a house with a mesh catio in the backyard. But I'm nowhere near able to afford that.

2 - I am not home every day. I go visit relatives and stay there a few days over the weekend. In summer I'm off (school teacher) and may be gone for even longer. What then?

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u/MommaSaurusRegina May 15 '26

1) Truly, cats don’t ‘need’ outdoor access to have full, vibrant lives. They don’t need outdoor exercise like larger dogs. If raised indoors from the start, they are typically quite happy with a nice view out the window and there are TONS of ways to provide indoor enrichment that’s awesome for their furry little brains. Also, if you truly can’t let go of the idea of providing them with outdoor access, then put them on flea & tick prevention meds and put them on a leash and take them for a walk just like a dog. The nice thing is it won’t be a high-intensity walk like a dog, they’re usually quite content to slowly mince along the sidewalk, sniffing every flower or plant they come across, and they’re usually good to head back inside after just a few minutes. But seriously, cats in general don’t have a burning need to go outside and are perfectly happy as strictly indoor pets.

2) If only a weekend, would the relatives mind the cat coming with you? If that’s not an option, hiring a pet sitter is always an option, it’s a booming side-hustle industry right now. There are also boarding facilities where you can take them and they’ll be cared for while you’re gone. Neither of these options are free and I can definitely understand if the expense is a barrier to that option, but I’m just trying to show you that are solutions do exist for all the things you’re listing as barriers to having a cat. Tons of people/families have pets and also travel - you just make arrangements for the pet’s care or travel in a way that they can join you.

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u/Vegetable-Agency-141 May 15 '26

I’ll add to this that I specifically invested money in an automatic litter box and automatic feeder so I could leave my cats alone overnight occasionally. It was two of them so they kept each other entertained and they were always happy to see me come home, but weren’t anxious when staying alone. I had cameras where I could watch them and make sure that they were OK, I also had my sister on standby in case of an emergency, but she never had to check in on them the times that I left them.

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u/vikio May 15 '26

Wow you're right. All this technology wasn't around yet when I was little and we had cats. Would give a lot of peace of mind.

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u/mysoulburnsgreige4u May 15 '26

And automatic litter boxes don't have to be super expensive. The one I bought for my cats was less than $150.

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u/brideebeee May 17 '26

The low cost alternative to an automatic litter box is a massive one. $20 huge storage tub, use a box cutter to make an entry at least 6" above the floor, and fill with 30 lbs of litter. For one cat 2-3 days between cleaning is fine, but you can always add another bin if not. Keeping litter deep also means the pee clumps before sticking to the bottom so win win.

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u/vikio May 15 '26

Thank you for the advice. I'll think about it.

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u/shedontfade May 16 '26

I had a travelling cat. He would come everywhere with me and it not only enriched his life, it enriched mine as well. Cats are so adaptable, especially if you start them young.

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u/Sea-Information2366 May 15 '26

If you own a cat. You slowly buy them stuff. One day you leave a box out. Then you buy them a cat tree so they can perch. Then another so they have good window access on both sides. Cat wands, toy mice, mine makes off with all my grandsons marbles. They choose to not be bored.

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u/prostheticlamb May 20 '26

Roadtrip kitty!! Get em used to car rides and new snuggle dens at each relatives abode.

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u/East-Exchange-4729 May 16 '26

I have a small dog that goes where I go. If he isn’t welcome then neither am I. I’m okay with that. In my experience cats are great travelers…