Woman spends two days locating a mystery meow in her car engine, only to find a well-hidden black kitten who hitchhiked for miles and stole her heart

Author image for Ayala Sorotsky
Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
Jun 4, 2026 12:45 PM EDT

Black cats are called voids for a reason, it seems - this one kitten was so hard to find to be rescued.

It's not only that kittens find themselves in the most unlikely of places before they get adopted, but when we're talking about black cats, it's even more prevalent. There's already the persistent stigma about black cats and bad luck (which is absolutely not true, mind you), so they tend to be pushed to the bottom of any adoption list. But then, in cases like this one of a woman from r/CatDistributionSystem, where the willingness to adopt the kitten in need is there, it's even harder to find them because of their fur color. Such a plonter.

Now add the fact that this kitten was hidden in such a tangly place - not the flowerbed in front of your house - but inside the tube-y mess of a car hood, and you have a disasterpiece of potential complexities. Now, now, this is not the first cat to be stuck inside a car's engine, by any means. But add together the size of a small kitten and the pitch-black fur color, and you've got such a low chance of success for a rescue… yet, it succeeded. Which is already a delight in and of itself.

Most kittens have this instinct to meow when in distress. Sometimes, though, stress and fear might make them freeze in silence. But, lucky for this void kitten, using the right meow at the right time is what got it out of this dangerous situation. Even here, it's not the first time a kitten's meow led to its adoption, but here it's even more critical to the successful kitten rescue we're seeing here.

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    Found this little one hiding in my car....
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    Cheezburger Image 10635139072
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  • You can barely see the cat in these pictures, but it's right there. Looking at it, we understand the situation much more - this cat is the champion of Hide & Seek. No wonder it was that hard to spot the kitten. Just look how well it's hidden, even when they peep to see what's going on outside the car's hood.

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    I was driving yesterday and barely left my house when I thought I heard a meow but thought I was trippin. I stopped the car to check if my cat had somehow made its way into my car or the bag I packed... Then, I
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    thought it was just the background of my Facetime audio. I sat there for 15 mins and even drove back home to see if my cat was home, which he obviously was. I did not hear or see anything so I drove 10 miles and went on about my day.
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    I parked my car overnight and this morning I was heading home. Right when I pulled out of the lot, I heard constant meowing and pulled over right away to check my hood. NOTHING.
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    And no more meowing but I couldn't keep driving, I knew there had to be something inside because of yesterday's meow I heard. I called my friend back down to check my hood and when he did,
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    he said nope, nothing. He thought I was crazy lol and was about to head back inside until I started meowing and it meowed back at me
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  • Imagine the surprise! We know our hearts would skip a few beats if, after so much time searching for the lost kitten we'd meow, and hear the kitten meow back at us. It must have been a happy moment, colored with the imminent feeling of a rescue coming. Because now she knows there's a kitten to be saved…

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    Office lady and maintenance guy helped us lure it out with treats but once it ran out, it hid behind a fence. I knew I couldn't leave it there so I tried to lure it with more. treats until it crawled up another guy's car. We
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    opened his hood and got a box to corner him and was able to capture him without getting clawed. What a day.
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    We took it to the vet in hopes to get it checked out or vaccinated as I keep it at home but they said no appointments until next week. Took it to animal shelter and was turned down,
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    so I put it outside in my backyard for now with a house and water and food, hoping the mom would find it. I checked on it 3 times in the past 6 hours and it's still
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    in the same spot. (Not ideal for it to be inside right now because I have an indoor cat and a dog)
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    But if it's still there by tonight, I must take care of it and take it in. What should I name it?
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    Tina-Tuna MOD Please save this kittens life before you name it, does it have something to keep it warm where you put it? Have you had your cat since a kitten and know how to care for one at a young age? Also can the mother cat access it if looking for it? Sorry for so many questions but response time is urgent with kittens.
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    III-Examination9272 OP
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    Yes, I added another blanket and large towel after this pic and gave it water and food bowl. I fenced off this corner in my yard so my dog doesn't disturb it. The mom cat has access to it if looking for it. He got in the car when it was parked in my driveway and the yard is next to that spot.
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    Tina-Tuna Thank you he looks very cosy there, please let us know if it's mother shows up. Plenty of fresh water for him too please
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    III-Examination9272 OP Understandable. I share the house with 3 other people so I can't isolate it in the bathroom or other rooms. My family is careless. My indoor cat has escaped outside before (when I've told
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    them to be careful opening the backyard door for my dog) and they blame me when the cat escapes. They tell me they "shouldn't have to adjust their lifestyle for a cat"... They left the backdoor open once for 4 hours while I wasn't home then blamed it on me that my cat went out.
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    darkest_irish_lass It sounds like you're doing the best you can, OP. Since the kitten can't say it, thank you for helping him❤ For a name, how about Rumble, since he seems to love riding in noisy cars?
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    ShartlesAndJames once you get them out, engine kitties are the best they're like omgzzz - soft beds, foods, pets, treats?! this is luxury!
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    Tina-Tuna Your comment is so random but makes so much sense
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    ShartlesAndJames My family had a little black cat who hitched a ride home with my dad in a Chevy Custom Deluxe truck engine from a horse farm. She was a small town barn kitten who was gonna bust out and make it to the big city one way or another by golly!
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    AdCapable 7558 You should definitely put that baby in a bathroom or somewhere inside so it's safe.
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    III-Examination9272 OP
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    I'm trying to bring it in now but it won't let me. Trying to build trust with it now and switched the box out for a carrier but it does not want to come with me. New photo this morning
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    Irishwol Good for you for trying but engine kittens can travel very long distances. Mother cat could be anywhere your cat has been in the last couple of days.
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    SemperSimple it's always a black cat in the engine. They're so difficult to spot smh
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    YarnCoffeeCats That is some first class hiding! At first I thought you posted the wrong picture. They don't call them Voids for nothing!
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    Ok-Opportunity-2043 Please keep us updated. I'm invested in this lil void. I know you can't bring him in, but I'm hoping you change your mind.
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    III-Examination9272 OP
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    Update: Spent 2 hours outside with it and built a lot of trust that now it lets me pet and hold it! It let me carry it inside. I have 2 pet gates separating my cat and dog from it for now in the living room corner. As long as it doesn't climb too high, it's better than leaving it outside.
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    Desperate Tooth_8266 So cute! Do you have any plans for permanent adoption? Or at least finding him a forever home?
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    III-Examination9272 OP INTRODUCIN ว
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    I took her to the vet this morning and I'm thinking of keeping her now. Found out she's a girl!
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  • Aww, so cute! We love that she decides to officially adopt this void princess into her family. With this long journey they took together (literally and figuratively), we're sure they'd be a purrfect match. The CDS really does know what it's doing.

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    Ok-Opportunity-2043 This is amazing!!!! I really hope you keep her. Voids are amazing kitties!!!
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    carbonfluorinebond Oh, skinny little baby. So glad you could rescue it. Hoping for the best!
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    III-Examination9272 OP Really wanted her mom to find her but I took her inside last night before it rained. Timing was perfect.
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wholesome cat black cats heartwarming voids kitten happy ending Cat distribution system Cats black cat
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