How much to pay a teenage cat feeder?

[CurlewKate]

Never had to pay before- always had reciprocal arrangements with adults. But neighbour's 14 year old is desperately saving, so I offered him the job. Twice a day to give some wet food and top up water and crunchies for 5 days. What's the going rate? No litter trays-just the feeding.

Incidentally, I could have fed my friends cat for free, and she could feed mine. But we both have 14 yr old son's and are keen to give them a work ethic and a level of responsibility so we do it this way now.

It's currently not about us parents saving money, neither is it about scratching each others backs.
It's about raising our sons to earn some money then we help them spend it properly. My son will have earned £120 this summer and he's pleased as punch. he's already bought a useful bit of kit he needs and is having a good think about what he'll spend the rest on.
(It's my Birthday next week too so I've been dropping a few hints 😄)

Go for it OP - it'll do him the world of good - who knows how it may help his confidence and attitude to work going into the future.

All the teens here charge £5 a visit - so generally £10 a day (and tend to stay and cuddle the animals as well) but for a few it's a case of going once and topping up the timed feeder.

There's a busy trade in it - DD has 5 families she is the usual cat sitter for, and back up dog walker for another 2.

I think £10 a day is spot on OP.

I'm paying £6 a day for ten days of coming in once a day to feed the cat (and wash up cat food bowls etc.) but it's my DS's mate and he's saving me £££ on the cattery. He lives about a six-minute walk away.

I pay my friends teenager £5 a day for two visits a day to feed 4 cats, wash bowls, and water houseplants, and turn on/off automatic watering for outdoor plants. Then I round it up to the next £10 for short trips, the next £50 if we’re away a week or more (so a Friday evening-Sunday lunchtime is £15 rounded up to £20, 16 nights away this month at £5 a day is £80, rounded up to £100). She’s 14, lives in the next street and walks past the house every day on her way to other families homes, and will make herself a cup of tea and a biscuit from our cupboard and put the telly on for half an hour while giving the cats a fuss. It works for everyone.

Just pay what you’re happy to pay. £10 is what you feel is reasonable, so that’s that. As far as paying him less than an adult, I would argue that an adult would probably provide a better service because of life experience/common sense compared to a 14 year old boy.

More likely to clean up spilled water bowls/check the cat’s eaten/notice if a window is open etc.

All this discussion- and he's just broken his ankle!

Oh dear

Ah bugger!!

5 a day seems stings, I don't think half the adult rate or less makes sense. 40 or 50 the week. It's a commitment.

Ah no! Poor lad

Oh no hope he gets well soon. Just to agree with £10 a day and to say the advantage of local teens is that they will stay and play with your DCat. Leave out some toys/wands etc

I know- why do kids break bones at the beginning of the holidays?