Last Updated on 15 September 2026 by Vanessa
While traveling through Romania, writer Erin Johnson came across a starving kitten in desperate need of care. What followed was an unexpected rescue that completely changed the course of her trip.
But when you find an animal in such a vulnerable state, where do you even begin? What decisions do you have to make along the way? And how did one chance encounter become a travel experience she would never forget?
Erin’s story reveals what happened next.
Rescuing a starving kitten in Romania: how Erin Johnson saved a cat’s life
This is a guest post by Erin Johnson.
Most of us have an itinerary when we travel. We decide what we want to see, set aside days for getting from one place to another, and even check the weather to avoid wasting a sunny day on the road.
As someone who maintains travel as a lifestyle, I have fallen down a crack in time where one plan a week is all I wish to make. I live for the in-between — those unexpected moments that make you feel more alive than any adrenaline-fueled booking ever could.
Let me share the story of one of my most recent in-between weekends. Ironically, it began with a carefully laid-out plan: a busy few days of driving and hiking in Romania.
Trouble on our Romania road trip
Soon after we set off, the overheating warning appeared on the dashboard. Few things are scarier than the possibility of breaking down while abroad. Your thoughts quickly go from bad to worse. First, “Will I find somewhere safe to pull over?” Then, “What if it’s something serious that will cost thousands?”
Luckily, the warning disappeared as suddenly as it had come on. We soon reached a rest stop, where my travel companion and I pulled over to check the engine. Everything seemed fine. Still, we decided that a trip into the mountains, far from the safety of a garage, wouldn’t be wise.
The timing wasn’t ideal. It was 07:00 pm on a Friday, and every garage had closed for the day. After checking around, however, we found several that were listed as open on Saturday.
The next morning, we got up early and headed to a garage in Petroșani that we had spent the previous evening reading reviews about. When we arrived, the man working there kindly informed us that the mechanics didn’t work on Saturdays.
So, we drove to another garage on the other side of town. Opening time came and went, but there was no sign of anyone. Another 5, 10, then 15 minutes passed. I called the number, but no one answered.
Meanwhile, I started calling every place I could find that was open on Saturday. Eventually, I reached one a 45-minute drive away. They had someone available and told us to come over. The garage had no reviews, but what other choice did we have?
Once there, we learned that the car needed a part that wouldn’t be available until Monday morning. We were also advised to drive as little as possible until then.
Stranded near Petroșani
Our map showed a national park not far from Petroșani. It wasn’t where we had intended to spend the weekend, but it seemed like a good place to wait until we could get the car fixed.
The park was breathtakingly beautiful and understated, with very few tourists around. A creek separated the small, wild campsite from a monastery on the other side. We bathed in the creek, grilled food at a designated barbecue area, and enjoyed the cool mountain air. Slowly, I began to relax and enjoy this unexpected turn of events.
Then came a tiny Mew
Suddenly, I heard what I thought was a bird — a squeak or squawk of some sort. Then I heard it again, only louder. It was a meow, the desperate cry of a small creature that was hungry and alone.
After searching the area, we discovered a tiny kitten living behind a fence beneath an electrical box. He continued to cry, but it was clear that our presence frightened him. There was no sign of his mother or any siblings.
Nearby, however, we found a pile of bread scraps, a paper plate, and a cut-open water bottle for him to drink from. Perhaps they had been left behind after a previous barbecue?
I always travel with snacks for animals, so luckily, I had some cat food in the van. I put a little on the plate and backed away. The kitten ate hungrily but cautiously, constantly looking up and startling at every sound. Every so often, he darted back behind the fence to safety.
We decided to leave him alone for a while and take a walk, hoping his mother might return. We found some sticks of a suitable length and used them to cross the river to the monastery — an exciting feat in itself. Along the riverbank, we unexpectedly came across wild tomatoes. I picked a few to enjoy with a meal later.
When we crossed the river again and returned to the campsite, we could still hear his cries. Several hours had passed, but there was still no sign of his mother. The kitten looked about six to eight weeks old, too young to fend for himself. I left him another small portion of food and started the fire.
Would the kitten trust us?
As the night wore on, the kitten seemed torn between his fear of humans and the cold, dark night. He had likely been taught to fear people his whole life, yet the warm glow of the fire drew him toward us. He slowly inched forward, only to leap back behind the fence at any sudden sound or movement. The electrical box was the only safe space he had ever known.
I brought out my guitar and began to play. We know that music has a particular effect on humans. Ancient cultures all over the world may have differed in countless ways, but they all created music. And after all, aren’t humans animals too?
The kitten was transfixed by the sound. He climbed into my guitar case and spent the rest of the evening playing, sleeping, and occasionally clambering over me.
After some treats, I managed to coax him into the campervan. He took a few cautious steps before excitedly rolling around on what was probably his first-ever carpet. By this point, I had also discovered that he was a boy.
Soon, he was exploring every corner of the van and practicing his jumping and climbing skills in his new cat paradise.
We had a new kitten… and a problem
The following afternoon, we decided to head back into the city for the night. The mechanic had asked us to bring the car in early Monday morning.
The kitten, who had spent the day happily jumping in and out of the van, now posed a slight problem. We still hadn’t made any physical contact with him, and he was very resistant to being touched. Although curious and happy to stay close to us, any attempt to reach for him sent him straight to one of his hiding places.
His favorite spots were under the sink and, rather worryingly, among the electrical cables. No matter how carefully we tried to block that area, he always managed to find a kitten-sized hole.
We called a vet, hoping they could take care of him for the day while we were without the car. Instead, they advised us to contact an animal shelter. After several messages back and forth, including photos to confirm he wasn’t a wild cat, the shelter agreed to take him in.
There was just one problem: it was 60 km away. Our only option was to leave the kitten in his current home for one more night. Once the car was fixed, we would return, collect him, and drive him to the shelter.
Then he disappeared
When it was time to leave, we realized we hadn’t seen the kitten for several hours. We searched all his favorite spots in the van, but he was nowhere to be found. We even went outside and meowed for him. Usually, he would reply, but this time there was nothing.
We assumed he must be sleeping under the electrical box again. So, we left some food and water for him, carefully checked beneath the car, and drove away.
Back in the city, we parked at one of the less glamorous places to spend the night in a campervan: a local supermarket. It was convenient, though, and gave us a chance to stock up on supplies. Traveling through remote areas often means having plenty of errands to catch up on once you’re back in civilization.
Several hours passed, and night fell. When we returned to the van, I spotted the silhouette of a cat sitting on the dashboard.
“It’s the little cat!” I exclaimed.
The moment I spoke, he looked in my direction and disappeared. For a second, I wondered if I had really seen him. Of course I had — and now we had a problem.
The frightened kitten had made the van his safe space. But that same van was heading into a garage full of potentially dangerous machinery the next morning. We had no choice. It was time to make physical contact.
Time to pick him up
I found him hiding among the electrical cables once again and held him for the first time. He meowed in protest, but I had done a little research the day before and learned that kittens like to be rocked, much like human babies. Before long, he was purring.
After several attempts at holding him and putting him back down, he became more comfortable with us. We also made a temporary carrier from a cane basket with a dish rack secured over the top. Finally, we felt confident that we could take him with us.
The following morning went surprisingly smoothly. The kitten began to enjoy the safety of his basket, and after about an hour, we no longer needed the dish rack on top. He wasn’t a fan of the busy city traffic and seemed very happy when we returned to the van.
The mechanic was back to business as usual and did a great job. There were no more funny stories, though. It was Monday, after all.
One last surprise
The drive to the shelter went smoothly. We decided he should ride up front in his basket, just in case anything shifted or fell in the back.
As I sat beside him, he stared up at me. Every time I glanced over, his eyes were fixed on mine.
“What?” I finally asked.
He slowly crawled out of the basket, climbed into my arms, and fell asleep. I had earned his trust.
The woman at the shelter was happy to take him in and told us there were several other kittens around his age. We left hoping he would find a sense of family among them and learn everything a young cat needed to know.
And none of it was on our Romania itinerary
And with that, the weekend came to an end. Nothing had gone according to plan. Although I spent another month traveling through Romania, I can’t say I had a more authentic experience than those few unexpected days.
As a traveler, have you ever helped or rescued a starving kitten? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
Erin is a German-based content writer, translator and editor. She co-founded and collaborates on a free local zine in her home city of Berlin. She spends her time traveling Europe in her campervan and pet sitting along the way. If you would like to read more of her work, check out the zine online at zineverschenken.de or follow on Instagram @zineverschenken.
English version / version française / versione italiana
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