A doorbell camera captured a moment that could have ended badly when an unexpected guest joined a couple bringing boxes out to the dumpster.
TikTok user @knzalmighty and her fiancée stood outside the front door with boxes and a trash bag in hand, locking up behind them as they were about to take a run to the dumpster. Without realizing, the couple’s kitten snuck into one of the boxes.
It is not uncommon for cats to be drawn toward boxes. To felines, a box is a hideaway and playground. The secured, enclosed environment of a box mimics what a cat would see in the wild, making them feel safe and hidden, an article from PetMD stated. But a box can also be an enriching sensory experience and a stress reliever. It is a place for them to explore, bite, scratch and shred.
The September 6 TikTok video, which amassed over 798,300 views, showed footage from the Ring camera of the couple leaving the apartment. When looking closely, you can spot a tiny black and white head sticking outside of the box. The cat’s eyes widened with nerves, unsure what was happening and confused about the new surroundings.
The caption reads: “We will be checking all boxes before we take them to the trash from now on.”
The couple wrote in the comment section that they finally heard a meow on the way to the dumpster that made them stop. They, thankfully, noticed their fur baby in the box before throwing it away completely. They brought her safely back inside, and she is doing fine.
Viewer Reactions
TikTok users flooded the video with both laughter, knowing the cat was safe, and horror, as this could have ended differently.
“Not him looking out from the box like, ‘…umm I was sleeping,'” joked one person.
Another pointed out: “The head peaking out the box took me out.”
Other pet parents offered advice to prevent this mistake from happening again, including having the cat wear a bell around her neck so she can be heard next time.
Someone else suggested: “Scary. Check laundry before putting it in a washer too lol.”
Newsweek reached out to @knzalmighty via TikTok for additional information and comment.
