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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the cat sitter's flea policy is too strict

44 replies

LesCactus · 05/09/2026 21:14

I got back from holiday a few days ago and had a cat sitter for my cat who came in twice a day for 30 mins each time. I keep up to date with my cats flea treatment and use Frontline. The last time I treated him was 15th August, so as far as I was aware, he was still covered and isn’t due his next one until the end of next week.

While I was away I got a message from them saying they had flea bites and know it’s my cat because while they were in my house, they found one on their leg. I apologised and explained that I have treated him and will make sure to treat the house when I am home. They let me know that some fleas are becoming resistant to certain flea medications, so I am going to get veterinary strength treatment.

I logged onto Facebook today to see that the cat sitter has put a post about new rules regarding fleas. They said if they find fleas or flea dirt in anyone’s home, they will reduce their visits to basic pop ins (food, water and litter only) and not issue a refund, they will then need us to either come home or get in touch with our emergency contact to arrange pest control to come and treat the house, and they need to see proof of this before any more visits.

I feel a type of way about this because I had no idea that my cat had fleas, I wasn’t careless, I treated him and had no idea. Under their new rules I will now have to show proof of getting an exterminator. I can’t afford that, and I don’t think it’s necessary. I have dealt with fleas a few years ago and I use a really good spray, wash and hoover vigorously etc and eventually it does the trick. I would be really upset if in the future, a few days before going away I find a flea and then don’t actually get the 30 minute visits I have paid for. I understand that if you do everything correctly, use the correct treatment and keep on top of it, you shouldn’t have fleas but sometimes that’s just the risk you take when you have animals and it can’t always be helped if, like this time, some of the fleas haven’t died with the treatment! I also get that people don’t want fleas transferred from one house to another, so I absolutely agree that if you want a cat sitter, you need to keep up to date with flea treatment. I just think the consequences are a little harsh.

AIBU?

OP posts:
JemimaTiggywinkles · 05/09/2026 22:05

Cutting down the visit is fair - you can’t expect someone to stay long in a house with fleas. However, the exterminator / coming home is completely mental. Get a different cat sitter.

ToadRage · 05/09/2026 21:57

What exactly does a cat sitter do for 30 mins? We ask the neighbours to look after out cat when we go away and they feed, water and do litter, probably doesn't take more than 5-10 mins.

Calmestofallthechickens · 05/09/2026 21:55

the exterminator bit is wild - it’s perfectly possible to treat a house yourself with Indorex spray.

pondplants · 05/09/2026 21:55

Just realise the cat sitter means professional flea extermination 😂 well that’s not going to happen! Good way to lose customers!

one of the best things I learnt about on Mumsnet was Indorex - use that if you get a proper flea infestation, although dot get into a habit of it cos it cannot be good for the environment seeing how quickly it kills fleas!

pondplants · 05/09/2026 21:51

In my experience frontline simply doesn’t work, I go to the vets for felpreva as and when I spot a flea or get bitten - don’t give fleas treatment routinely and never have. I haven’t had fleas in the house for about 4 years which is good - outside cats. So YABU to give flea treatment monthly!

but yes cat sitter is unreasonable so YANBU to that.

StatisticallyChallenged · 05/09/2026 21:49

saraclara · 05/09/2026 21:39

Sometimes who's so freaked out by cat fleas shouldn't be a cat sitter, frankly.

Expecting you to come home, is madness. Find a new sitter.

Agree entirely

Fleas happen. Yes, you could have used a better treatment, but it's not like you'd done nothing and they were visibly leaping around. If you've only found 2 it's clearly not a rampant infestation. And professional extermination is rarely necessary.

Demanding people return from a trip is ridiculous and often unfeasable. I travel for work - I can just imagine telling my boss i need to cut a trip short and go home because the cat might have fleas.

SabbatWheel · 05/09/2026 21:44

We haven’t treated our cats for fleas in years, as the overuse of flea treatments is going the same way as antibiotic resistance.

Funnily enough, we haven’t seen a single flea on them since. (5 cats, all of whom go outdoors).

MCF86 · 05/09/2026 21:42

I voted YANBU but actually I'm torn - I think the shorter visits are reasonable, not so much the emergency contact/exterminator.

But ultimately she is NBU either because she has every right to issue her own terms and you have every right to use her or not as a result.

Datgal · 05/09/2026 21:41

She could have brought them in to your house!
Actually no way of knowing.

saraclara · 05/09/2026 21:39

Sometimes who's so freaked out by cat fleas shouldn't be a cat sitter, frankly.

Expecting you to come home, is madness. Find a new sitter.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 05/09/2026 21:38

Well YABU to use frontline, that’s been useless for at least the last 15 years.

Bravecto still works AFAIK.

Talkingfrog · 05/09/2026 21:34

They may have found the flea in their leg in your house, but did they find any others in the cat or in the house?

Did they examine themselves after leaving the other house, bedire they got into their vehicle?

Just because they were at your house when they first saw it, could they have encou tered the fleas at an earlier visit that day, and it was only noticed when at yours?

Strawberryfruitstarburst · 05/09/2026 21:31

LesCactus · 05/09/2026 21:27

I will be using veterinary strength treatment going forwards. I never had any bites on me at all and never saw any fleas so I find it hard to believe there’s an infestation. I have gone through my cat with a flea comb and found two. I keep going through him but I haven’t found any more. However, I am aware about the eggs etc so I will be thoroughly treating the house. If it comes to needing an exterminator then fair enough, I mean I can’t afford it if it’s not needed. I don’t have the money to just go “yeah sure I’ll get it done” but if I cannot get rid of them and don’t have a choice, then I will have to pay for it.

It’s the fact if someone goes on holiday, not realising their cat has fleas, but she finds flea dirt in the house, you then have to call your emergency contact to immediately get an exterminator in and they won’t do any more visits (apart from food and water) until it’s done. It just seems very OTT

Show quote history

That’s the ridiculous part, expecting a customer to come home, fleas aren’t an emergency. If she has customers with repeat fleas then she can choose to part ways with them if she wants.

My cat has a flea allergy which causes him to over groom so we have to have the vet strength stuff, it’s worth it, get Credelio!

Original poster
LesCactus · 05/09/2026 21:27

7238SM · 05/09/2026 21:22

-If you don't like their T&C's then find a different cat sitter next time.
-I don't know about cats but anyone I know with dogs have needed prescribed meds because fleas have been getting resistant to frontline for years. I've never known anyone to find it effective.
-Now that you are home, does your cat have fleas or not? Any signs of them in the house?

I will be using veterinary strength treatment going forwards. I never had any bites on me at all and never saw any fleas so I find it hard to believe there’s an infestation. I have gone through my cat with a flea comb and found two. I keep going through him but I haven’t found any more. However, I am aware about the eggs etc so I will be thoroughly treating the house. If it comes to needing an exterminator then fair enough, I mean I can’t afford it if it’s not needed. I don’t have the money to just go “yeah sure I’ll get it done” but if I cannot get rid of them and don’t have a choice, then I will have to pay for it.

It’s the fact if someone goes on holiday, not realising their cat has fleas, but she finds flea dirt in the house, you then have to call your emergency contact to immediately get an exterminator in and they won’t do any more visits (apart from food and water) until it’s done. It just seems very OTT

OP posts:
NullaEffugium · 05/09/2026 21:23

@Strawberryfruitstarburst

the blood food source is the cat and it is likely there is an infestation if 30mins in a house results in several flea bites.

7238SM · 05/09/2026 21:22

-If you don't like their T&C's then find a different cat sitter next time.
-I don't know about cats but anyone I know with dogs have needed prescribed meds because fleas have been getting resistant to frontline for years. I've never known anyone to find it effective.
-Now that you are home, does your cat have fleas or not? Any signs of them in the house?

worldshottestmom · 05/09/2026 21:22

Yeah just get a new sitter tbh how ridiculous

Strawberryfruitstarburst · 05/09/2026 21:20

Get a new cat sitter. They are being ridiculous!!!

You don’t have an infestation so you don’t need an exterminator. Fleas need a blood food source to survive. Their eggs can lie dormant in the home for a long time and hatch in warm conditions.

If your cats are treated with vet strength meds then they will be ok going forward. The best thing to do is vacuum loads which will remove the eggs for the future then keep up to date with the meds.

NullaEffugium · 05/09/2026 21:17

If you can’t afford to get flea treatment that works and have an exterminator take care of the resulting flea infestation, then you can’t afford a cat or cat sitter.

yabu.