Agreed to something I shouldn’t have, AIBU

What do you mean she may have to suck it up? No she won't.

She's pregnant. She can't do it.

Her husband works 12 hour days. He can't do it.

They chose to ask unsuitable people and change the terms at the last minute, that's their fault and doesn't mean the OP should put herself and her baby in danger. Absolutely ridiculous suggestion.

I think it’s really out of order of them to change the frequency. I think you may have to suck it up now but it’s a definite no to any future times. I would just get your dh to empty the litter tray once per day.

It's next door and 5 mins visits 3 times a day, you can make it work. You can't tell her the day before, that's ridiculous Z

I feel as though I’ve made it so so clear to her without actually saying.

That’s ridiculous. You said you would make it work, a month ago. What you clearly said with that was that you would do it if needed.

Three times a day but only a couple of minutes each time (apart from the litter tray) and no travelling involved. DH can do the litter tray and one feeding/meds and you do two feeding/meds, or he could do two one early, one late and you do mid-day. I would just say we will put the meds in the food but are not responsible for whether the cat takes it or not, we can't fight with the cat to get it down. It can't be anything like injections or they would have had to explain the details. It's only four days I'm sure you can manage that.

That’s not what the OP said at 12.58 today.

@whoopswhatdoido can you clarify?

It’s three short visits a day to next door, you can do this easily. Your husband can likely do one om the morning and one at night, he can do the litter box. You’re making out it is a huge deal. It isn’t.

I'm sorry but I think you're making a real meal out of this and overthinking it. It's three days and despite having a busy week you have spent six months agreeing to this so you have to make it work. If you absolutely can't do it then you can ask another neighbour but this is your fault, not the fault of the cat owner.

Your DH will scoop the litter either before or after work. You will feed the cat and give medication twice a day, it doesn't really matter what time as long as you space it out. It's probably just something you add to the food. If you can't manage the medication your DH will do it while scooping litter. It's unlikely that the extra few doses you've missed will mean death for the cat, but obviously find out first. When neighbour gets back "Tiddles was really tricky and wouldn't take the medication a couple of times but we've done our best and he seems good"

Cat sitter might be your (their) best bet.I use one when I go away and they do everything, even feeding other pets too.
If not ask them to get those catsan all in one litter and bag things, more expensive but easier to clean.
Medication might possibly be a last minute thing so not known at the time of booking, cats like us get ill randomly sometimes.

One month ago, you realised you’d be really busy that week so said you didn’t want to do it, but she talked you back into it

Yesterday, she told you, the cat is now on medication three times a day

No, @Shinyandnew1 - according to the bit others quoted it was a month ago when OP was told this would now be 3x a day, at which point OP asked if the neighbour could involve her own family, and though a bit annoyed she said she'd ask them

Our cat needs syringe feeding and medications - I wouldn't dream of asking a neighbour to do that. Normal feeding is fine and our neighbours have animals so it's reciprocal. Our vet nurses do visits to feed/medicate cats when the owners are away - she could try calling them? Might not be open on a Sunday though... Ours charge a very reasonable €15 per visit.

I agree the medication is a game changer, and the neighbour should have mentioned that as soon as she knew and been proactive about showing you what to do and giving you the opportunity to refuse.

One cat should be fine having the litter scooped (shouldn't need a full change) once a day, unless it has diarrhoea or the litter tray is tiny. They don't go much generally.

Had it been once a day as it always was then your dh could change the litter. To expect pregnant women to handle cat faeces is immoral. It's known to be something pregnant women should avoid.

it is, and it's not as common in the UK but many woman get tested, you can have gained immunity in the past. You can also wear gloves.

Regardless, the time to decline because of the pregnancy was when the neighbour asked, or when the OP found out about pregnancy. Not the day before people are living! It's horrible timing.

Yeah personally I smell a bit of BS from OP’s posts…

What is the actual time line here, OP?

Is this right?

Months ago you agreed to feed their cat for 4 days, once a day.

One month ago, you realised you’d be really busy that week so said you didn’t want to do it, but she talked you back into it.

Yesterday, she told you, the cat is now on medication three times a day which you will now need to give, plus change the litter tray more often. You replied asking if family could do this instead. They haven’t replied and you’ve done nothing else?

Yes this is the bit that's confusing me too. She said originally she knew it was 3 x a day but then later says she only found out about that yesterday?

I would tell them that you're prepared to go once a day but can't do 3 times a day to give medication. The cat will just have to have a break from the medication and they resume it when the get back, or they make other arrangements.

I feel as though I’ve made it so so clear to her without actually saying. It’s like having people round in your house and saying ‘right then’, or ‘I’ve got a really early start tomorrow’ and them still outstaying their welcome.

you sound like an absolute nightmare.

If you want to say something, just SAY it. People are not minder, and no, if you haven't said it, you haven't made it clear.

You are making things 100 times worst than if you had just been clear from the beginning. Waiting for the last possible minute is a very shitty thing to do. You do have valid reasons, but you have created problems that really could have been so easily avoided.

Nope they concealed the full extent of the job. They created the problem. It's on them.

You should be thinking about the poor cat in this.

I had someone give up on cat sitting half way through, she left my poor cats to starve. No food or water for a week. So cruel. Luckily I got a friend to come in but what if I couldn't have found anyone?

I don't think it's too late to drop out as they concealed the full extent of the commitment. OP you agreed to do what you have always done. They chose to without relevant information until just now. This new information makes it undoable for you.

This is their fault and not yours.

Had it been once a day as it always was then your dh could change the litter. To expect pregnant women to handle cat faeces is immoral. It's known to be something pregnant women should avoid.

This is a problem of their making

Glad it's not just me who picked up on that

Mainly, though, isn't it odd how one thread on a subject - in this not wanting to cat sit - almost immediately spawns another?

As I did originally. Your point!

Not really. It’s ok for people to respond with their own opinions!

Another angry person who doesn’t like someone else opinion.

I think letting them down at the last minute was a shitty thing to do on your behalf. It’s hard finding pet sitters without booking weeks or months in advance. YABVU and they have every right to be pissed off.