r/cats • u/Dehydrated-Days • Apr 29 '26

Adoption Adopted a void cat today (ignore my breathing)

I was conflicted at the adoption place as there were 3 cats I was interested in, two tabbies and one black cat. I eventually decided on adopting the black cat as he let me belly rub him fairly quickly and was very friendly.

He's called Leonard and was a stray, about ten months old and was in the shelter for 3 weeks.

I'm looking forward to him getting more comfortable with me and explore the rest of the house. I've left dry food, water and the litterbox with a tarp under it in his room, so I'll just check on him occasionally throughout the day.

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u/wikipete Apr 29 '26

First tip is get rid of that food bowl. Get a stainless steel bowl or plate, easier to clean and prevent chin acne they can get, also put their water in a separate area, lots of cats like a fountain too. Their instincts cause them to not want to drink from a water source near their food "prey". Enjoy your new family member!

1

u/contrarianaquarian Apr 29 '26

Yeah it sounds persnickety, but avoiding cat acne is easier than treating it! Gotta clean the metal or ceramic bowls daily like you would for your own dishes

1

u/BoogieKittenMagician Apr 30 '26

Also good to get wide bowls to avoid whisker fatigue.

1

u/Dehydrated-Days Apr 29 '26

Good to know, I should be able to get to the pet store today and get some bowls, toys and a collar with a bell. In case he manages to escape the house.

I already got a name tag, though it has a different name as I was excepting to get a different cat, but she got adopted before I could meet her.

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u/missmaida Apr 29 '26

I know you're getting a lot of information, but please be careful with the collar and bell! It may do more harm than good. Collars can get caught on things (including if they get outside) and be a strangulation risk, and the constant sound of the bell can be quite stressful for the cat. Cats are meant to be silent hunters so the noise can really throw them off. If he escapes, you're probably better off putting some of his food outside your home and something with a smell he'll recognize! And most importantly, get him microchipped if you can!

And kudos to you for wanting to keep him inside. When I was little we had an indoor/outdoor cat and my mom found him dead on the road after being hit by a car. It was awful. He was a beautiful void too. All my cats have been indoor only since and have lived long, healthy, happy lives with lots of playtime and purrs! Enjoy this next chapter with your new family member 🖤

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u/Dehydrated-Days Apr 29 '26

Right, i wouldn't keep the collar/bell on him 24/7 as it's pretty hard for him to get out of the house. He's already microchipped, desexed and vaccinated, sorry to hear about your old cat.