Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Owner wants me to let her cat outside, only getting paid for an hour

111 replies

Gtathatchers · 09/07/2024 18:02

I’m doing hour long drop ins for a cat everyday for 2 weeks, I’m only a few days into it. Prior to starting we had a meet and greet and they did not mention about her having to go outside. They don’t have a cat flap or anything, so I have to be here to let her out and to let her back in. The problem is that I’m only being paid for an hours drop in, but when I let her outside, she is never back within the hour. Yesterday, I was here for 2 hours, waiting for her to return, and she only did so because it started to rain. The owners said to walk to the park with her, and that she’ll follow me, so I attempted this and she did not. She’s deaf, and isn’t very food or toy motivated. At first they said to use her harness so I assumed she would be comfortable with it, she wasn’t at all. I tried the gentle approach of trying to put it on her back while she was distracted with some wet food but she’d freak out every time I put it on her, and start hissing, so the owners said please take her out without it, walk to the park and she’ll follow you so I braced myself and did it. She did NOT follow me and instead roamed around on top of the garages in the car park next to their house where I couldn’t get her down from. I stayed outside and watched her until she escaped through a hole in someone’s fence. I did laps around the estate trying to find her until I decided to go and wait in the garden for her to come home. This time she came in half an hour after the agreed hour long drop in period. The second time was much the same except she came in an hour after the drop in should’ve ended, only when it started raining. If it hadn’t started raining she would’ve come back in much later. I’m not sure what to do, she meows to go out all the time but I can’t dedicate hours of my day to waiting for her to return as I’ve scheduled my days based on the fact I’m here for an hour plus commute time. Wwyd?

OP posts:
Londonrach1 · 10/07/2024 09:15

Don't let the cat out

yellowsmileyface · 10/07/2024 09:13

That all sounds so stressful! I'm a catsitter too and I had a very similar situation. It actually made me rather anxious waiting indefinitely for the cat to return whilst I had other things I needed to be doing. In the end I just kept him inside. I felt guilty when he meowed to go out, but I kept him entertained with lots of playtime and fusses instead.

My situation was a bit different as they had told me he goes outside, but they also said it'd be easy to get him back in by shaking his treats bag (it was not).

I think especially as they didn't mention this during the meet and greet, you're well within your rights to say something like "I've tried all of your suggestions, but it's just not feasible for me to let her out during the one hour timeframe. I'll keep her entertained indoors instead".

Have you updated them about how each visit has gone so far? If so, and they still expect you to take her out, they're being very cheeky.

NoSquirrels · 09/07/2024 18:50

TemuSpecialBuy · 09/07/2024 18:03

Just dont let the cat out.

This.

You should have said you couldn’t let her out at all in a one-hour slot, tbh. Live and learn, say no upfront next time you get an unreasonable request.

Isobel201 · 09/07/2024 18:49

Just keep her in, poor thing. As she is deaf, I wouldn't let her out at all. They need to come up with safer ways to keep her entertained outside.

Champagnesocialismo · 09/07/2024 18:37

Poor cat and foolish owners. Either they pay for more time or you keep the cat in with a litter tray.

AzureSheep · 09/07/2024 18:22

Explain to the owners that you’ve tried the things they’ve suggested but it hasn’t worked. As the cat won’t come in reliably, you think it best from a safety standpoint that the cat stays indoors for the duration of the cat sit. If they insist on you letting cat out they will need to pay your standard hourly rate for each hour / part hour over the agreed original timings (try to be firm about not letting the cat out though).

I think you should ask to be paid for the additional hours you’ve already done, but equally, if you don’t feel comfortable asking I can understand why.

We have 2 cats, one uses the cat flap, the other refuses to. When we have a cat sitter the cat who won’t use the flap gets kept in for the duration. She has the run of the house, uses the litter tray, but will sometimes do a spite poo next to the tray or on the upstairs landing, but I’d far rather that than risk losing her.

MissMoneyFairy · 09/07/2024 18:08

Naughty cat, tell her she needs to come in. Only joking. Tell the owners she goes out and yours having to wait in for her, that she won't use the harness or follow you. Does she have a litter tray indoors. You can coax her in by rattling dreamies but you should be getting paid for the hours you are there. Why does she need to go outside, they need to build a patio for her.

3smallpups · 09/07/2024 18:07

No is a complete sentence and all that !

I run a Cattery and people can be crazy in what they think is acceptable , and don't realise how differently their pet may behave with another person.

Just explain that it's not feasible and don't do it, will end in disaster when cat goes missing .

Fedupmumofadultsons · 09/07/2024 18:06

Just don't let her out no matter how much she meows if they say anything just point out you only paid 1 hr

KrisAkabusi · 09/07/2024 18:06

You seem to be communicating with the owners, so tell them the current arrangement isn't working. Either they pay you for longer or you don't let the cat out.

TemuSpecialBuy · 09/07/2024 18:03

Just dont let the cat out.