UK Cat lover finds defenseless black kitten while solo hiking in New Zealand, she carries the feral baby over 75 kilometers to safety: ‘Kindness can turn a long walk into an extraordinary shared adventure’

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jan 26, 2026 11:00 AM EST

It's not every day you find a new kitten while hiking in a different country. The Cat Distribution System really can reach you anywhere.

If you thought going on vacation would help you escape your feline fate from the CDS, you would be sorely mistaken. The CDS is everywhere at all times, and it doesn't care whether you have space in your suitcase to bring home a new kitten or not. It doesn't even care if you didn't bring a suitcase at all, like this solo hiker and cat mom in our Meownday story below. She's from the UK, but went for a trip to New Zealand to get some serious hiking done. But, while passing through some dense forest, an abandoned black kitten found her, and after watching her closely for some time, decided to approach her.

She couldn't leave the defenseless baby out in the bush alone, so she fashioned a homemade travel pack for them and carried the feral feline over 75 kilometers over three days to get to safety. Now that is commitment! She did not end up taking the cat home, but the kitten did get checked up at a local veterinarian's office and is now ready to be adopted. We're sure this tiny kitten will be feral no longer very soon!

In the end, it seems that the universe didn't want her to be completely alone for her long journey through the mountains. Although it may only be a short time in her life, she changed this cat's life in such a drastic way. Not only did she bring it to safety, but hopefully, it will be loved every day from this day forward.

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  • 01
    News From Trail to Home: The Incredible Three-Day Journey of a Hiker and a Kitten
    via New Zealand Brand
  • 02
    On New Zealand's legendary Te Araroa trail, one hiker's journey took an unforgettable turn. UK trekker Katie Evans was navigating rugged backcountry near Lake Sumner when a tiny, abandoned black kitten appeared beside the path - alone, nervous, and far from home. Instead of moving on, Katie wrapped the kitten in a towel and
    via New Zealand Brand
  • 03
    set out to bring it to safety. Over the next three days, she carried her newfound companion through rough terrain, clambering over fallen trees and crossing rivers, hiking about 25 km a day. Fellow walkers helped with food and warmth, and Katie improvised a cosy setup in her shoulder bag so the kitten. could rest snugly. By the time they
    via New Zealand Brand

  • This doesn't sound super hard, but it is. You have to imagine that's she's probably carrying close to 40 pounds of gear on her back, not to mention now adding a kitten to the mix. And, after your fourth fallen tree, they start to get really annoying to climb over. It's much harder than it seems, and that's not even mentioning unpacking and setting up camp every night, then breaking it down and packing it up again the next meowrning.

  • 04
    reached Arthur's Pass, offers flooded in to help. Today, the kitten - now called Bluffy — is safe, vet-checked and loved, - a reminder that kindness can turn a long walk into an extraordinary shared adventure.
    via New Zealand Brand
  • 05
    FIRE EXIT B
    via Single-Tangerine9992
  • 06
    "A Te Araroa hiker from the UK carried an abandoned kitten through rugged backcountry for nearly three days to get it to safety."
    via Single-Tangerine9992
  • 07
    "Katie Evans, a cat owner from Cheltenham, had been on the trail since early November when the black kitten appeared in front of her near Lake Sumner earlier this week."
    via Single-Tangerine9992
  • 08
    14high Cat: would have been 2 days, she took way too many photos.
    via 14high
  • 09
    ""One kilometre past there in this deep wooded area ... this black kitten just popped up and I was like, 'well, that's unusual"," she says."
    via Single-Tangerine9992
  • 10
    4everHisGirl I love this story. What a cool origin story for her new cat.
    via 4everHisGirl
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10599892736
    via Single-Tangerine9992
  • 12
    "The kitten - which she named Lady Bluff - hid among logs and roots, watching Evans cautiously."
    via Single-Tangerine9992
  • 13
    Content_Sky_2676 Nice that she took it. Lots of feral cats in NZ that are totally wild, but seems this one was young enough to be socialized.
    via Content_Sky_2676

  • We had no idea until now that New Zealand had such a feral cat problem. The main issue, it seems, is that the feral cats are excellent hunters, and are actually significantly reducing the population of native wildlife. Makes sense, honestly.

  • 14
    TheHolyGaelicEmpire The reality of the situation here is- this is a feral kitten, although, yes very cute, once they get older, they will become the number 1 predator for our native birds, king thousands of our protected species.
    via TheHolyGaelicEmpire
  • 15
    SoulKnightmare Yes it's cute. But also, don't do this. Cats are predators, and are one of the most damaging species to our native wildlife.
    via SoulKnightmare
  • 16
    Fluffy_Carrot_4284 Feral kittens don't remain feral if you socialize them when they're that young so when they get older, even if they are let out of the house, they don't just revert back to being feral again.
    via Fluffy_Carrot_4284
  • 17
    There are certainly ways to mitigate the impact of having cats, hell, I own 4. But you shouldn't take a feral cat, regardless of age, into the bush with you. If it gets away from you it will hunt hunt hunt.
    via SoulKnightmare
  • 18
    Edit: I admit I was wrong. That's what I get for reading titles instead of the full article. I'll leave my comment up for whomever reads this to learn my lesson. Good on her.
    via SoulKnightmare
  • 19
    BarracudaOk8635 Oh well, I guess it's not in the bush king birds. I suppose thats good.
    via BarracudaOk8635

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Hiking kindness new zealand cat rescue feral cats adventure UK Cats cute kittens animals
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