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Original poster

Our cat feeder hasn’t been feeding our cats!

110 replies

CalmDownBoris72 · 21/12/2021 15:05

We’ve used the same person for about 4 years with what I thought was 0 issues. We go away for a week x5 times a year (normal times) to visit family and the place I’m from.

We’ve recently installed a video doorbell so get updates when someone goes in and out of the front door.

We left on Saturday and on Sunday the cat feeder turned up and spent 3 mins in the house. He hasn’t been back since!

I’m so shocked and annoyed that I trusted him. My poor cats. I always thought it was much nicer for them to stay in their own home and have someone come to feed and fuss them in their own home.

Luckily friends of ours have a spare key and have fed the cats yesterday and today. They’ve said they are happy to help until we get back too.

I need to write a message to tell him to F off but
In a less aggressive way. I hate confrontation but I really want and need to say something. We pay him a bloody day rate Angry

OP posts:
TangfasticsAreFantastic · 21/12/2021 18:04

That's horrible - your poor cats! Thank heavens you've found out now.

As PP have said he's obviously planning on coming back before you come home and tidying up the manky food.

I have cameras in the house when the pet sitter comes and made a point of telling her beforehand. I trust her, but at least she knows they're there and there's no temptation to either not come in or leave early.

She's also really good and gives me reports of how they are daily too.

There are good pet sitters out there - I'm sorry you've got such a shit one.

comfortablyfrumpy · 21/12/2021 18:04

Surely he must realise you've got a Ring doorbell? He must be a dim not to have clocked that.

I would also be furious in your shoes, that's awful.

FilledSoda · 21/12/2021 18:12

I've recently heard bad reports about a Cattery we used for years . My trust is totally destroyed .
I think I could only allow family to pet sit now and I'm not even sure about that .

Interested in this thread?

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Cats
TonTonMacoute · 21/12/2021 18:53

I would be fuming, although I agree the cats are probably fine.

But why should you pay for a service that is not being delivered, that's just being ripped off.

I would wait to get back your keys then hit him with it. I would threaten to report him to trading standards - although I probably wouldn't really bother, it would be fun to see him sweat a bit.

People are so stupid, it's as easy as anything these days to catch them out!

HandlebarLadyTash · 21/12/2021 19:13

get the key, & dont use them again, leave it at that.

Booklover3 · 21/12/2021 19:40

That’s terrible

Forion · 21/12/2021 20:43

I'm a cat sitter and I care for the cats as well as I care for my own. I even clean up for people when I'm there and stay over my allotted time to ensure the cats are played with.

You need to shred him when you get hold of him and leave scathing reviews anywhere and everywhere. Cats can't do without food or water because they can become very ill relatively quickly.

Original poster
CalmDownBoris72 · 21/12/2021 20:44

I texted him to see how it was going then he went in an hour after that, then replied. Ironically, 5 minutes after our friend so they almost met.

I’ve said we need to cancel so he’s dropping the keys through tomorrow morning. Once we know they’re there I’ll message him about him not turning up.

Re. The food, our cats are quite fussy and would only eat fresh out of the packet wet food, wet food that has been left out gets all congealed and dry so that’s what our friend had previously seen.

We got him from a company called paw shake although started to just use him directly which is when I guess the issues must have started.

I’ve no idea why he thinks he knows better than the Ring doorbell but neither that our the alarm motion sensor went off so he definitely didn’t come in and we know the exact amount of time he spent there- 3 minutes on Sunday and 5 minutes today. We pay £8 per day FFS.

OP posts:
Forion · 21/12/2021 20:59

That's disgusting, people are so stupid and need to assume they're under surveillance these days and do a proper job.

Ask him who he's insured with then report him to them.

Santahatesbraisedcabbage · 21/12/2021 21:03

Make sure you do name and shame him. You won't be the first people he has taken the piss out of.

NutellaEllaElla · 21/12/2021 21:13

God this is horrifying. I'm so glad you found out, i'm having nightmares now thinking about the same thing happening to us but we'd have no idea.

Forion · 21/12/2021 21:57

My advice would be to get surveillance and inform whichever pet care company you're using that it is in place. A reputable company or set up won't mind in the least.

Also, have a back up in the event of a problem. A neighbour, friend or relative that you can call just in case.

Mummapenguin20 · 21/12/2021 22:04

Id be bloody fuming

Billandben444 · 21/12/2021 22:58

Is £8 a day the going rate? Depending on where he lives, the whole trip (including his measly 3mins feeding the cats) could take an hour which makes it less than the minimum wage. Has he seemed happy with the pay before? Anyway, once the keys are returned you can call it a day - is there anywhere online you can leave an unfavourable review to warn others?

stingofthebutterfly · 21/12/2021 23:18

If he went in 5 minutes after your friend, do you not think he might have clocked that things were not how he left them? If he's got any sense, he'll know you're on to him, especially if you've told him you've had to cancel.

Be careful, he sounds like a twat.

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 21/12/2021 23:21

Really, really wouldn't recommend petpals. We used them once to dogsit for a week. Came home to an absolutely trashed house, furniture moved all over the place, drawers rummaged through, etc. I could kind have coped with that, grim as it was. What we found out later was that after the 3rd day, our neighbour was so worried about our dog that he took her in for the rest of the week. Turned out the professional sitter had been feeding her bird food (I really wish I was making that up). So we paid the sitter £500 to have a holiday in our house, trash it, and not even open a tin of pedigree chum.

I did contact petpals. They were 'very sorry'. That was as much as I got from them in response. I would have chased it up, but the vets bills were rather more pressing at the time.

CaptaNoctem · 21/12/2021 23:28

That's outrageous

We use a timed feeder if we're away for just a night or two and my cleaner comes in twice a day if we're away any longer.

I know she comes in as she feeds the cat at least twice the amount of food he should have and he always weighs noticeably more by the end of the period!

NutellaEllaElla · 22/12/2021 07:03

@Billandben444

Is £8 a day the going rate? Depending on where he lives, the whole trip (including his measly 3mins feeding the cats) could take an hour which makes it less than the minimum wage. Has he seemed happy with the pay before? Anyway, once the keys are returned you can call it a day - is there anywhere online you can leave an unfavourable review to warn others?
Yes that's the going rate
Original poster
CalmDownBoris72 · 22/12/2021 08:11

£8 for 5 mins is great I think, no one I know gets paid to commute to work and back!

He lives a 5 minute drive away anyway.

Hi online reviews are 5 stars, I think this is his main job.

OP posts:
HeyArnoldHey · 22/12/2021 08:17

This happened to me with a dog Walker where I unexpectaedly caught them twice and challenged them and they had an excuse (but hadn't contacted me) asked neighbour then to watch out and yep didn't turn up till 4pm (suppose to come at 12 and I'm back at 5 anyway! It was day walk and toilet)

You trust people and think they are surely animal lovers to in that job Sad so upsetting !

Sunshineandrainbow · 22/12/2021 08:23

Sorry you have Had this it's awful when you trust someone.
I pay cat feeder £10 for One visit a day or 15 for two. She also send me a photo everyday and short message.
Please can I ask what your timed cat flap is and where from.

WombatChocolate · 22/12/2021 08:34

I would assume nothing. I would not accuse.

I would just send a friendly message and ask if they’ve been getting on okay with the daily cat feeding. Thank them.

The thing is, sometimes people do slip in. It happens.

We have neighbours cat sit. I always send a friendly text after a couple of days. It works as a reminder in case they forget.

Once, the teen neighbour who was doing it forgot. It was luckily just a weekend. We didn’t know, but they texted to confess and brought a plant to apologise.

The other thing we do as it’s friends, is leave choc onthe table as. A thank you. If they were still there on our return, I’d be a bit worried.

If it’s someone’s job, not turning up is very bad. With a. Friend or neighbour, to be honest, it’s easy to forget, so I think tactful messages are a good idea and probably actually appreciated. If someone forgets one day it won’t be the end of the world.

And I hate the ring doorbell. We fed someone’s rabbit once. I really didn’t like them knowing the exact time we visited. Sometimes we would go at midnight if it suited us. Other times we might go at 7am. The person commented which showed they’d been watching us on their doorbell. It made me feel uncomfortable. Doing a favour doesn’t mean you then have to go at the exact same time every day and it really won’t matter for most pets if you’re a few hours different.

If you need a very specific timing, you do need to pay someone. And obviously they should go.

However, with all these kind of complaints, it’s often best not to start with accusation, but a query. Often, there is an explanation…you just don’t know it. Save goi g berserk for never…or at least when you’ve heard some detail.

Hope478 · 22/12/2021 08:39

@WombatChocolate

I would assume nothing. I would not accuse.

I would just send a friendly message and ask if they’ve been getting on okay with the daily cat feeding. Thank them.

The thing is, sometimes people do slip in. It happens.

We have neighbours cat sit. I always send a friendly text after a couple of days. It works as a reminder in case they forget.

Once, the teen neighbour who was doing it forgot. It was luckily just a weekend. We didn’t know, but they texted to confess and brought a plant to apologise.

The other thing we do as it’s friends, is leave choc onthe table as. A thank you. If they were still there on our return, I’d be a bit worried.

If it’s someone’s job, not turning up is very bad. With a. Friend or neighbour, to be honest, it’s easy to forget, so I think tactful messages are a good idea and probably actually appreciated. If someone forgets one day it won’t be the end of the world.

And I hate the ring doorbell. We fed someone’s rabbit once. I really didn’t like them knowing the exact time we visited. Sometimes we would go at midnight if it suited us. Other times we might go at 7am. The person commented which showed they’d been watching us on their doorbell. It made me feel uncomfortable. Doing a favour doesn’t mean you then have to go at the exact same time every day and it really won’t matter for most pets if you’re a few hours different.

If you need a very specific timing, you do need to pay someone. And obviously they should go.

However, with all these kind of complaints, it’s often best not to start with accusation, but a query. Often, there is an explanation…you just don’t know it. Save goi g berserk for never…or at least when you’ve heard some detail.

Did you read the original post? OP is paying someone to visit. It isn't a friend. It's someone's job.
Roselilly36 · 22/12/2021 08:48

That is absolutely awful, who on earth would be so uncaring. I would be so angry. Poor cats.

Roselilly36 · 22/12/2021 08:53

@sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea

Really, really wouldn't recommend petpals. We used them once to dogsit for a week. Came home to an absolutely trashed house, furniture moved all over the place, drawers rummaged through, etc. I could kind have coped with that, grim as it was. What we found out later was that after the 3rd day, our neighbour was so worried about our dog that he took her in for the rest of the week. Turned out the professional sitter had been feeding her bird food (I really wish I was making that up). So we paid the sitter £500 to have a holiday in our house, trash it, and not even open a tin of pedigree chum.

I did contact petpals. They were 'very sorry'. That was as much as I got from them in response. I would have chased it up, but the vets bills were rather more pressing at the time.

That is absolutely shocking. Sorry definitely isn’t good enough.