To think this cat sitting is a bit much to ask

[Italiawithflair]

Ndn is going on holiday in June. We have previously cat sat for her which only involved going over 1x per day to check that the food machine had dispensed of the cat's dry food. This was no bother and I happily did this for the two weeks she was away.

So ndn came over a couple of days ago and asked if I could cat sit again as she was going away on holiday this week. I thought this was rather short notice (4 days before she goes away) but said yes immediately as I like to help out.

Yesterday she came to tell me that the cat now only eats wet food and that I will have to go over twice a day, morning and evening to actually give the cat food rather than just checking that there is food I the bowl. This involved washing the cat bowl and opening the can with yucky content and Will take much longer than what I thought I signed up for. I am a bit miffed that this is more committed net than what I had in mind.

Is she bu to expect this sort of service without flagging it before and without telling me what's involved?

I will do it this time but please tell me how to decline politely in the future.

[NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten]

I was just chatting to the mum of the 9 yo who feeds and plays with our rabbits when we go on holiday - apparently she came over 3 times a day (the child - the mum came once a day with her - they only live a few doors down).

Your neighbor needs a cat living child cat sitter with a tolerant mum in the background :o

[Choccyhobnob]

My MIL usually pops in to feed/change litter for our cat if we're away for a couple of days. A week or longer and the cat goes on holiday to MIL's house as she is one of the very few people our timid cat likes and she really craves attention so gets company at night that way.

Next week we're away for 4 days and MIL is unavailable so tonight I'm meeting my very first professional cat sitter which to me seems like a good option. Mentioned it to my colleagues and they all think it's hysterical and I'm some sort of neurotic cat lady?!

Sorry to derail the thread a bit there but at least the rest of you seem to agree that getting a pet sitter is a normal thing to do! lol

[Sparklingbrook]

A neighbour's cat goes missing every time they go on holiday and the poor person doing the twice a day feeding is always a wreck.

[TheFairyBlackstick]

If you want to ensure that you are never asked to do it again, chuck the empty tins or sachets in the bin. After a few days they will be crawling with maggots and your neighbour will return to a carpet of flies. I speak from experience.

[Gabilan]

My two were feral until last November. One of them I can pick up, the other one would have to be trapped just to get her in a carrier to even get her into a cattery. I can't imagine how stressed they would both be if I took them to a cattery. Grey Cat is getting tamer and will now let me stroke her, which might not sound like a big deal but it is. I don't often go away but when I do, it really is just easier for a friend or neighbour to feed them. Whether they can check them depends on who it is. One set of neighbours are apparently cat-approved, the others aren't.

It really does depend on circumstances and whether your pet is more people-oriented so would prefer a cattery or more territorial and would prefer to stay at home and be fed.

[Sparklingbrook]

SparklingCat loves the cattery and the owners who spoil her rotten. I know people with cats that really really don't but the owners put them in because they are safe, and fed and cared for when they are on holiday.

Cattery is open all day and I have often been down unannounced. All the cats are generally asleep or watching what's going on in the garden and all look very content.

[Fishlaar]

Be glad you don't live near my neighbours. When they had a cat I was expected to defrost and cook chicken breasts for it.

[redbinneo]

OP
We give our cat sitter the cash it would cost us to put the cats in a cattery. Perhaps you could suggest this to your neighbour.

[awombwithaview]

I feed my friend's cat in the next street when she goes away...it can be a bit of a PITA as I've got two young DCs and need to time it for before DH goes to work, but she's my friend so Im happy to help her. If she was my ndn it would be much less of an issue as would take a fraction of the time. it must be very hard to say no to your ndn without causing a future issue. The cat I feed has wet and dry food, I go in once a day and fill the bowls to the top to last him 24 hours. Could you do the same? You're doing a favour after all.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

That's what feeding a cat involves OP, what you describe isn't even cat sitting .

[1Morewineplease]

Ditto Sparkilingbrook!!!
A Cattery is the answer... Just tell NDN that you were really sorry and that you found it hard to make all those commitments... She is being utterly unreasonable and incredibly selfish..

[Sparklingbrook]

I am a cat owner. I put my cat in a cattery when I go away. Easier all round.
Sparkling Cat has a routine that revolves around us and a stranger coming in twice a day and chucking some food down wouldn't cut it.

[Trickydecision]

I can't bear washing cat dishes myself so always use pouches plus dried and paper plates and I would not expect a cat sitter to have to do it differently. Just ask her to get the right stuff in.

[BrowersBlues]

Italian, please say no. I like the sentence you have drafted it. Either drop a note through her door or tell her face to face. If you do the face to face option just say it aloud and then say have a lovely holiday and walk away.

I am curious to see what you will do. I cannot believe the temerity of her asking you to commit yourself for two weeks and more than anything I can't believe she told you four days before she is scheduled to go.

If you can't face saying no, just knock on her door and say you have decided to go on a last minute holiday yourself and can't do it. If she asks where say I am going to book on the day so God knows. When she comes back and ask how your holiday went say I never went. Simple.

Please do not do this for her. She is taking the piss out of your kind nature.

[ragged]

We were away 4.5 days & asked the neighbour to come in & refill the bowls.
I don't clean the bowls every day, more like once a week.
Neighbour offered to check the litter trays, too (cats could also go outside when they wanted).
For 4 visits & just keeping an eye on house for us, I paid neighbour £10.
Did OP say she's being paid (I think not)?
Our 4 days away cost a bomb & I saved a fortune on cattery fees.

YADNBU.

[ZaZathecat]

Italia I would give a lot more notice if asking for this - at least a month but usually more.

[CatherineOfAbdomen]

I get you Op.
I'm amazed at some of the responses.

[QueenOfTheAlley]

YABU to only go round twice a day. If servants are selfish enough to bugger off the stand ins should at least wait on the poor moggy hand and foot.

[ratsintheattic]

I don't feel comfortable asking neighbours for favours and our cat needs her litter tray cleaning out as well as feeding therefore I pay someone to come in and look after her.
Just say it's not convenient next time.

[AdeleDazeem]

Our ndn asked us to mind their dog for them while they were away for a week. We agreed. They came back three and a half weeks later!

[Andylion]

Just a thought, as the OP doesn't feel comfortable saying no, the suggestion that she ask NDN to provide sachets and paper plates to make it less gross might make it even more difficult for her to say "No" in the future. Nest time the NDN might approach her with, "Could you feed the cat? I've bought the sachets and paper plates so you can do it the way you prefer to."

[Alisvolatpropiis]

You're being a bit weird.

[DosDuchas]

thats the norm with cat sitting surely?
twice a day