How much to pay 14yo neighbour to feed cat once a day for a week while we're away?

[TropicofCapricorn]

Hi, how much do you think is sensible for them?

Come in, one sachet, one scoop of biscuits, top up water. Only needs one time a day.

£20?

It’s not just the actual feeding, it’s the responsibility of having to remember to do it each day, and setting that time aside e.g. he can’t choose to go to his mates that day instead.

I’d pay more than £20.

£20/£25 is fine.

My DS got £30 for a week of this ( house about 5 mins walk away) about 10 years ago. SoI’d have thought more now, especially if there’s the odd bit of plant-watering thrown in.

Your poor cat only being fed once a day! No wonder they are "aloof" as you say. Plus you should provide a litter tray, for your cat's sake as well as your neighbour's, as it's probably their garden your cat does their business in. Please tell me there's a catflap.
£30 is fair, £20 is tight. You're still saving money over a proper cat-sitter.

agreed. This is what my teen was offered and paid for cat feeding (which including cleaning bowls and spending a bit of time making a fuss of the cat).

Oh behave, it been fed once a day almost it's 12 years and has survived just fine. Cat is quite happy and healthy and is quite content in our company... just doesn't like other people when they're in the house unless they stay a day or so.

If course there's a cat flap - how else would it get in and out? The cat flap is on back door so safer for cat, as it backs onto a field.

It's does it's business near the hedges behind the house actually. In a field edge. It doesn't need a litter tray thanks.

£50 minimum

This isn’t just a random kid though, it’s the next door neighbour and it sounds like his mum has the keys and therefore is actually the responsible person and will probably check that her child is doing what he’s said they’ll do and would hopefully pop over and do it herself if for some reason there’s a day he can’t. I have fed my neighbours cats before and had neighbours feed mine and we do it for free (and usually just leave a box of chocs or bottle of wine as a thanks). Sounds like the OP had probably asked the teen, and offered to pay, almost as a favour to the teen and a way to earn some easy cash rather than the mum just doing it for free! So in that case £20 seems reasonable.

You're exploiting this child.
Your teenager was old enough to know.

Why do people think there's plant watering going on??

😂😂😂😂

Yep. True exploitation.

Of course he can go to his mates... He would literally be able to feed it on his way out to his mates in less than 5 minutes 😂😂😂😂

Seriously it's walking across the shared driveway... Not a 5 mile march over a mountain.

Having to feed a cat that literally lives next door and will take 5 minutes is hardly going to stop the teen being able to go out with their mates for the day; they could easily do it on their way in/ out the house!

Blimey, I’ve never paid anyone to feed our cats! It’s called being neighbourly. We reciprocate where we can and it’s chocs, sweets and booze for the adults on our return. Same for us.

If a neighbour asked DD to feed their cats I’d be a bit shocked if money was on the table and would refuse.

My ds would love doing that for £20, especially if you threw in a bar of chocolate.

It's only because it's a kid. Wouldn't bother with the adults tbh

Yeah, I guess so. If the mum is basically overseeing it then it's almost just to help the kid out really. Maybe my experience with teens is that they're not so trustworthy. Haha.

We paid £10 a day for 2 weeks (£140 in total) for 16 year old girl to check on the hamster food/water, she didn’t clean out the cage or anything. I feel we overpaid after reading everyone’s else’s posts 🤦🏼‍♀️

"Survived" 🙄Bravo!

I can’t believe how many people are saying “it’s a big commitment, they’re making themselves available for you”. The kid lives next door, It’s 10 minutes maximum once a day. The OP doesn’t even sound like they’re specifying exactly when it has to be and the cat can’t tell the time, so they’ll almost certainly just nip round whenever it suits them around their other plans anyway.

I’d probably give a little bit more than £20 given it’s a whole week, but not much. Check with his parents what they think is reasonable, they might not want him being given anything more than that for various reasons.

Grow up.

The cat is happy and healthy and loved. Just gets all its days food in the morning.

Sour and grabby tight fisted miser 😆😆😆
ridiculous

I think £20 is quite low in 2025 for a teen doing that. £20 hardly buys anything. I think £30-35 would be more reasonable.

You want to be able to ask him again.

Phew! Though I think the teenage son of our regular neighbours who do this for us is often the one coming round, I just make sure I get treats that I think he’ll like.

I'd pay £5 a day (in Yorkshire, possibly more in London area/South)
It's a lot of responsibility (especially locking up the house after he's left).