Page 2 | Appropriate payment for cat sitting

Shelly32 · 2012-07-19T12:08:59+00:00

AIBU to think that around £10-15 is an okay amount to give the neighbours 15 yr old daughter for feeding our cat and rabbit for 10 days?

gettingeasier · 19/07/2012 16:29

Yep £1 is very mean and if you need her services again she may not be interested in doing it for that

mslicketysplit · 19/07/2012 17:46

A friend watched my guinea pigs including feeding them, cuddling them and cleaning them out for the price of a bottle of buckfast! I found it very humiliating to go in and buy it lol.

holyfishnets · 19/07/2012 18:00

20 quid minimum.

nightowlmostly · 19/07/2012 18:04

I get paying for the 'service' if it's a teenage child of a neighbour, but is it really the done thing to pay an adult neighbour?

I would never expect payment, I'd see it as a favour, and a way of cementing good relations in the street. If people do little things for one another surely it winds up being a nicer place to live?

valiumredhead · 19/07/2012 18:06

No not an adult neighbour -nice bottle of wine and offer to return the favour.

nightowlmostly · 19/07/2012 18:08

Well good, because that's exactly what just happened!

MsOnatopp · 19/07/2012 18:15

I would say £20...

MsOnatopp · 19/07/2012 18:16

Maybe £30 actually. £20 still sounds mean.

notsomanicnow · 19/07/2012 20:17

I would go for £25 to £30. She is still having to arrange her social life around these commitments for 10 days. And it's a fairly responsible role to have your key, secure your house, feed and be responsible for the health of your pets.

SmaugTheDragon · 19/07/2012 20:55

I would give her £30. She is doing you a big favour as you would have to spend a lot more than that if you were to board your cat at a cattery and the rabbit at...well, wherever people board rabbits when they go on holiday.

stookiesackhouse · 19/07/2012 23:33

Twenty five pounds. Remember, if she does a good job you'll want her to do it again. Ten pounds is really stingy. I just paid 56 for 7 days for pro sitter, two visits a day which I thought was a real bargain!

Gingerodgers · 20/07/2012 05:31

Would be best to err on the side of genourosity, then she will be keen to do it again.30quid should do it

insanityscratching · 20/07/2012 06:19

Our neighbour's teenage daughter fed our rabbit while we were away, we gave her £30 for the week. We felt that fair and we were chuffed to see she had cleaned him out and watered the hanging baskets without being asked. She's also our babysitter so in effect paid her what she lost in babysitting that week.

Trioofprinces · 20/07/2012 06:54

Interesting to read. Our just turned 13yo next door neighbour is coming in to feed our cats and the hamster while we're away. He's very happy to clean out the hamster too as he loves the hamster, even helped my DS clean her out yesterday for 'fun'

He will also move the post and switch different lights on and off. I guess most days he'll be in the house less than ten minutes. I was thinking of around £20 for 2 weeks which works out at about £7 an hour by the time you've factored in one hamster changeover. Surely that's a lot more than a 13yo could get elsewhere?

He loves our pets and tbh would probably almost consider it a treat to do it!

I don't think you should compare to professionals unless you have no other option. My friend would do it for a bottle of wine which she'd fake a shocked look to accept!

ken0eddie0kennedy · 20/07/2012 07:57

Paying a neighbour to look after pets? I do it for free & so should they, it's called 'Helping each other out & being friendly'.

valiumredhead · 20/07/2012 08:12

Thing is though trio it's not just 2 hours in a block, it's commitment for 2 weeks.

PurplePidjin · 20/07/2012 08:14

My parents friends pay me a fiver a day, but that involves me or dp driving to the house or going significantly out of our way :) I automatically check plants, move post, and keep an eye on general security (downstairs only!!). A 15yo is not likely to know this needs doing, but it's ok to leave a list of jobs with your emergency contact details and vet's phone number.

I generally only do it for one particular friend, and don't get paid, but she knows we've got cash flow problems and a baby on the way so has offered this time (plus it's for 4 days, normally it's one or two)

2rebecca · 20/07/2012 08:31

I don't see why it should be for free if it's a teenager Ken, she isn't getting anything back from the neighbour. Also what if one neighbour has pets and the other doesn't. I hate the smell of catfood so if I was feeding cats for 10 days I'd expect a bottle of nice wine at the least as we have no pets and don't need neighbours in the house when on holiday. If you pay your neighbour in some way then you don't feel you are taking advantage of their proximity and resentment can't build up by one neighbour feeling the favours are all one way. This is different to emergency babysitting.

ken0eddie0kennedy · 20/07/2012 08:53

Oh yes, a bottle of wine, (I got a beautiful Candle once) at least for the bother. I think I'm just slightly of the thought that you don't have to pay everyone for everything, some things you just do without expecting payment.

CER1945 · 08/08/2023 03:48

I feel rather awkward ; my next door neighbour who has on occasion fed my cat when I’ve been away for a few days ( only when my daughter who usually looks after him at her house is away, and for whom I’ve always bought wine and a pouch of tobacco etc to say thank you ; As neither of them work full time and sometimes not at all .. They have two cats of their own as well.. I have known them for many years and the wife and I were once really good friends and even went on holiday together Today , I asked if it would be OK if I asked them to feed my cat for a couple of weeks whilst I am away working -,just once a day visit - our houses are next door to each other.. This request was met with unexpected hostility .. and I was more or less accused of taking them for granted which I don’t .. I have done lots of things for them over the years - so this reaction was totally unexpected and undeserved .. I got the feeling that they wanted me to offer payment - but I wasn’t sure what to say . I have willingly fed my neighbours cats in the past when they have been away. I’m still very upset at their reaction !
I don’t usually ask for anything .. When I was ill earlier in the year I didn’t even ask them to grab a bottle of milk for me when they went shopping.. ( they didn’t offer either) I was luckily able to order online and other friends who live further away made sure I was OK .. I have always been a good neighbour .. So am I being unreasonable to feel very hurt about this.

CherryMaDeara · 08/08/2023 04:18

£1 a day is tight and exploitative. Give her £30. How much would a cat sitter charge?

CherryMaDeara · 08/08/2023 04:20

CER1945 · 08/08/2023 03:48

I feel rather awkward ; my next door neighbour who has on occasion fed my cat when I’ve been away for a few days ( only when my daughter who usually looks after him at her house is away, and for whom I’ve always bought wine and a pouch of tobacco etc to say thank you ; As neither of them work full time and sometimes not at all .. They have two cats of their own as well.. I have known them for many years and the wife and I were once really good friends and even went on holiday together Today , I asked if it would be OK if I asked them to feed my cat for a couple of weeks whilst I am away working -,just once a day visit - our houses are next door to each other.. This request was met with unexpected hostility .. and I was more or less accused of taking them for granted which I don’t .. I have done lots of things for them over the years - so this reaction was totally unexpected and undeserved .. I got the feeling that they wanted me to offer payment - but I wasn’t sure what to say . I have willingly fed my neighbours cats in the past when they have been away. I’m still very upset at their reaction !
I don’t usually ask for anything .. When I was ill earlier in the year I didn’t even ask them to grab a bottle of milk for me when they went shopping.. ( they didn’t offer either) I was luckily able to order online and other friends who live further away made sure I was OK .. I have always been a good neighbour .. So am I being unreasonable to feel very hurt about this.

YANBU as you have helped them too. Sounds like they have got used to you being the helper and resent that you have changed that and asked for help. I wouldn’t do them any more favours, just keep relations to hello and goodbye.

SpringSummerDreamer · 08/08/2023 04:46

I would pay at least £20-£25. You're compensating this young person for the responsibility of going every day, the welfare of your pet, keeping the key safe etc. Show that the role is valuable by paying a decent amount that they can do something useful with.

If you think you might want them to do it again in the future, set it as a daily rate - £2 or £2.50, so it's easy to work out for other trips.