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Original poster

Cat-sitting drama!

170 replies

tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 20:50

Long story short - we have a usual cat sitter who had to cancel at a short notice this year due to unforeseen circumstances. We were going away for 16 days, and I got into a bit of a panic - so when I casually mentioned being desperate for a catsitter at a work meeting, I was happy when a colleague mentioned her daughter could maybe help.

We live quite centrally in London, and the daughter had been coming to London for job interviews, staying in hotels. She had found a job but was finding it hard to find a flat share without being in the city, so she was keen to come down earlier to get herself settled before her new job started.

I met her on zoom, she seemed fine so we agreed she'd stay here and look after our cat. She would be welcome to use the house as her own for the 16 days. Few days before we travelled, she asked how much I would pay her. I was a bit taken aback as we hadn't discussed money, and she suggested £50 a day! I said that wasn't doable, and I could really only do it for room and board, but I'd be sure to leave lots of food, few bottles of wine, some treats etc. She agreed. Cat is an outdoor cat so very little work overall.

holiday was great, cat seemed happy over whatsapp, but when we got home, the house was a mess. We'd left it spotless. There were sticky,set stains on tables and counters, toothpaste and soap globs in the sink, dirty dishes, ALL our towels used up and shoved in, damp, to the laundry basket, stinking. I wasn't expecting her to clean but I did expect her to tidy up after herself.

But she had also taken (or drunk!) a box of 6 bottles of wine. I had left her 3 in the fridge, and the 6 were for a dinner party later this month. They were boxed up and put in in the coat closet.

DH thinks just leave it, as the cat was happy and looked after, but I want my wine back! Forget about it or message her?

OP posts:
Shoxfordian · 21/08/2025 21:15

Were you planning to pay the usual catsitter? She's been rude but it sounds like she had no real incentive to look after the place as you weren't even paying her.

DrRichardWebber · 21/08/2025 21:28

I would have been like this when I was young, just not really thinking. I imagine she saw the wine as part of the deal. I would forget about it.

CatsorDogsrule · 21/08/2025 21:34

Did you specify what wine she could have? 3 bottles for 16 days doesn't seem like much. Personally, I'd just move on.

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Ladedahlia · 21/08/2025 21:37

I think you were extremely trusting and more than a little naive. She’s a teenager. What did you expect? There is no way I would have let a teenager live in my house for two weeks when I didn’t even know her. Couldn’t you have used a cattery?

IfYoureLeavingTakeMeToo · 21/08/2025 21:37

3 bottles of wine for over 2 weeks is not really much.

How much would it cost to pay for a cat sitter?

Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:40

Shoxfordian · 21/08/2025 21:15

Were you planning to pay the usual catsitter? She's been rude but it sounds like she had no real incentive to look after the place as you weren't even paying her.

I don't pay my usual cat sitter - she looks after my cat, I look after hers.

I guess the benefit for the daughter was a substantial financial saving as she saved on hotel costs. There's no way she could started her new job without some kind of place to stay. Flatshares are tough to find in London, you have to see dozens to get one, so very unlikely she would have found one overnight

OP posts:
Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:41

Ladedahlia · 21/08/2025 21:37

I think you were extremely trusting and more than a little naive. She’s a teenager. What did you expect? There is no way I would have let a teenager live in my house for two weeks when I didn’t even know her. Couldn’t you have used a cattery?

She's 24. She finished her masters and was moving to London for work.

OP posts:
DelilahMy · 21/08/2025 21:41

CF of the year. But I wouldn’t ask for the wine back.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 21/08/2025 21:42

You offered her somewhere free to stay in exchange for cat sitting - fair enough.

then she took the piss

Silverbirchleaf · 21/08/2025 21:43

Firstly, if someone is looking after your cat, you should pay them!

I would also expect them to have a modicum of tidiness. Not show home standard, But surfaces wiped, dishes washed up etc.

Regarding alcohol, I would be annoyed if she’d helped herself to extra.

Hiwever, you can’t really say anything.

Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:43

IfYoureLeavingTakeMeToo · 21/08/2025 21:37

3 bottles of wine for over 2 weeks is not really much.

How much would it cost to pay for a cat sitter?

Really? Maybe I drink less than the kids nowadays. I thought she'd go out a bit too tbh and meet up with some friends too.

OP posts:
OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 21/08/2025 21:43

and you provided ' board '

bloody hell I would have done it just for the place to stay !

SirBasil · 21/08/2025 21:46

9 bottles of wine over 16 days is nothing though?? that's a couple of glasses each evening.

The stinking towels, did you show her where the washing machine is?, and messy sink would annoy me enough to mention it to her if i ever spoke to her again.

at 24 she should know not to leave places in a tip.

Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:46

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 21/08/2025 21:43

and you provided ' board '

bloody hell I would have done it just for the place to stay !

Are you free Christmas time? :)

OP posts:
Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:48

SirBasil · 21/08/2025 21:46

9 bottles of wine over 16 days is nothing though?? that's a couple of glasses each evening.

The stinking towels, did you show her where the washing machine is?, and messy sink would annoy me enough to mention it to her if i ever spoke to her again.

at 24 she should know not to leave places in a tip.

Oh yes, told her she was free to use the washing machine and left instructions, pods etc.

OP posts:
StressedOot3 · 21/08/2025 21:49

I'd just have been pissed off then tidied up and forget it. If you'd had to put the cat into a cattery you'd be worse off than the cost of six bottles of wine.

LillyPJ · 21/08/2025 21:50

tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:40

I don't pay my usual cat sitter - she looks after my cat, I look after hers.

I guess the benefit for the daughter was a substantial financial saving as she saved on hotel costs. There's no way she could started her new job without some kind of place to stay. Flatshares are tough to find in London, you have to see dozens to get one, so very unlikely she would have found one overnight

Show quote history

And the benefit to you is relatively cheap cat care. 9 bottles of wine is probably much less than the cost of a cattery. I think you should just forget about it.

Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 21:51

Silverbirchleaf · 21/08/2025 21:43

Firstly, if someone is looking after your cat, you should pay them!

I would also expect them to have a modicum of tidiness. Not show home standard, But surfaces wiped, dishes washed up etc.

Regarding alcohol, I would be annoyed if she’d helped herself to extra.

Hiwever, you can’t really say anything.

Really? When I was young I would have been thrilled to have a house to myself for free in exchange for opening a packet of Whiskas twice a day.
The cheapest Premier inn in the area is £73 a night. So I'd definitely say there was a financial gain for her.

Maybe at 43 im suddenly completely out of touch 😅

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 21/08/2025 21:51

We have a friend's daughter round to stay when we go away-we pay her.

Pepperedpickles · 21/08/2025 21:54

I wouldn’t say anything. The cat is fine, the house just needs a sort out and unless the wine was some sort of really expensive wine cellar type thing I’d just chalk it up to experience and let it go.

SirBasil · 21/08/2025 21:55

i don't think OP needed to pay - clearly the the catsitter found the arrangement mutually beneficial if she needed to be in the area for a while, otherwise she'd have turned it down. So payment is a bit of a red herring.

But done is done, cat is fine, no lasting harm done to the house, and you can all move on.

HeidiNotSoHeavy · 21/08/2025 21:56

Had friends of friends petsitting three times (I'm a slow learner it seems). Different people but each time house was a total mess, things broken and missing. Never again, professionals only. But no I would not ask for the wine.

Original poster
tabbycatcuddles · 21/08/2025 22:00

SirBasil · 21/08/2025 21:55

i don't think OP needed to pay - clearly the the catsitter found the arrangement mutually beneficial if she needed to be in the area for a while, otherwise she'd have turned it down. So payment is a bit of a red herring.

But done is done, cat is fine, no lasting harm done to the house, and you can all move on.

Yes, you are right, the wine wasn't terribly expensive but at £20 a bottle not free either.

Next time cat goes into cattery and I might rent the place out on Airbnb like I used to before dc. That is, if my normal catsitter isn't free.

OP posts:
mumofoneAloneandwell · 21/08/2025 22:01

Yanbu but leave it

She probably doesn't understand the impact her actions had on you, being 24

Just dont help her out again 😭

I would say though that asking for payment was cheeky of her.

iirbRosb · 21/08/2025 22:03

I’d leave it and chalk it up to experience-