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.

[Parker231]

I don't understand the problem. I regularly look after my neighbors cats when they are on holiday. It doesn't take long morning and evening. It sounds like you have been only to feel them - I spend time playing with the cats so that they get some company and 'play time' whilst their owners are away. I don't expect anything in return - I do it because it's the right thing to do as a neighbour.

[AlternativeTentacles]

Keep a stack of paper plates and a box of sachets at your place.

So now the OP is funding the neighbour's cat's food and buying it paper plates?

Only on mumsnet.

[duffaho]

I would really struggle with this commitment. I hate the smell of cat food and get the dry heaves if Im in the vicinity of an opened tin. Dry food is not a problem at all.

Although many pps are having a go about the time element I can see that finding a spare 10 minutes twice a day is hard when you have a busy life with small children

. It might only be next door but that means finding keys,unlocking gates and doors,locating the cat food and bowls , dishing it out(boak),checking the house for burglars , locking up and making the house safe again. All will be done swiftly no doubt but needs to repeated 28 times before the neighbour returns. Thats 28 nasty tins to be dealt with. What happens to the empty tins? Are you expected to wash them or just put them in the kitchen bin?

[BertrandRussell]

Even I think expecting the OP to buy the cat food is a bit much!


Althought keeping the cat food wt your house and just going over with the bowl is a good idea. If you had two bowls you could -put one in your dishwasher--

[TulipsAndSwifts]

Just out of interest, did your neighbour mention a 'Plan B' if for any reason you had to go away for a few days unexpectedly? As duffaho points out, it is a huge responsibility as you are house sitting as well as caring for the cat.

Refuse point blank next time (and there will be a next time) - no reason, you don't have to justify to her why you are not going to do it.

[Parker231]

Wow - some unfriendly neighbours on here !

[Gabilan]

Maybe I had a fortunate childhood but I'd always assumed it was normal to feed neighbours' low maintenance pets for free. However, it does need to be reciprocated in some way preferably Rioja

I can understand your annoyance OP, since this is short notice and isn't what you signed up for. I am liking Bertrand Russell's idea about the dishwasher you could clean your loo brush at the same time

[SoupDragon]

checking the house for burglars

Do you mean glancing into the living room to see if the TV is still there or happening to notice that the house has been turned over?

[BoyFromTheBigBadCity]

I agree with the pp that looking after baby and toddler is a world away from watering plants and feeding cats. I like the paper plate idea.

[SoupDragon]

Thats 28 nasty tins to be dealt with

Actually, it will more likely be 14 unless the cat is huge or simply obese.

[bgottalent]

The smell of wet cat food makes me want to puke. I would say no on those grounds alone.

[Penfold007]

The NDN's request wouldn't be too much for me but it is too much for you.
If you can say no now then feel free to do so, if not feed the cats but when neighbour returns just calmly say that it's too tricky now you have two little children. That way no confrontation but she has plenty of notice to find an alternative.

[BertrandRussell]

This thread neatly combines two things commons on Mumsnet that I have never, in a long life, come across in real life. Begrudging doing other people small favours and extreme physical reactions to mildly unpleasant smells.

[PuppyMonkey]

I'm so glad we have nice neighbours who have fed our cats (yes TWO ) both dry AND wet food for one or two weeks when we've been on hols. In return, we do lots of favours for them - DP went round and cut their hedges last week for example. It's nice to do nice things for people.

Maybe she uses the pouches rather than the tins - less mess cos you can just squeeze out. Also at washing bowls - although you may also have to give fresh water so that'll be an extra 10 seconds...

You never know when you might need your neighbours to help you. Please don't be an arse. I mean that in a loving way.

[mindthegap79]

Good grief you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Yes she should have given you more notice, but is it really such a big deal? I have 2 cats and it takes precisely 2 minutes to feed them. Just wash the previous bowls when you go in the next time. Good idea from pp about paper plates - ask her to get some, and some ready to serve pouches.

[HermioneWeasley]

Cat food is gross. There is no way I would get involved in dishing it up and washing up the bowl. I would throw up.

[AlternativeTentacles]

If you had two bowls you could put one in your dishwasher

So the OP now has to buy a dishwasher if she hasn't got one, and a new bowl?

Brilliant!

[halcyondays]

Asking four days before they went was short notice, what if you hadn't been able to do it? We have always made arrangements for our cats well ahead of time, and wouldn't ask a neighbour as it would feel a bit cheeky especially if it's for 2 weeks.

[BertrandRussell]

Actually, when mine were small I would (and did) use feeding neighbour's animals as an activity. "Come on, let's go and feed Tiddles"

[HeyDuggee]

You're going to come in twice a day to feed a cat wet food, wash up, provide water AND EMPTY THE LITTER TRAY.

There are many people who make a living doing this - they call themselves cat sitters and they charge £8-15 per day.

Ours is fully booked up through end of August already, so plenty of responsible pet owners pay for this service instead of trying to get a neighbour to do it for free.

[PeaceOfWildThings]

OP...I'd write this down on some notepaper:

"When I agreed to feed your cat, I thought it would be like last time. You tricked me into doing more. The smell of wet cat food makes me sick, and I will have to bring my children with me on weekday mornings when my husband is at work. If you can provide disposible bowls and plates, and single use pouches of cat food, I will do it this time only. Frankly I do not like being told that I've just agreed to something that I haven't and I feel that you have soured our relationship and from now on i will be using you as a target for my assertiveness practice. Mainly the use of the word 'no'. Did you know it is a complete sentence? "

Read it back to myself and burn it. Then I'd buy paper plates and newspaper myself and get on with doing it but leave the plates and the newspaper in her bins. I would leave leaflets for local cat sitters, vets and catteries promenently, with a note saying that this would be the last time.

None of our neighbours are cat people. We only have dry food hoppers and I pay someone to check on our cat, or I book her into a cattery or vet, or for longer holidays, she comes with us. She even came with us.

[OTheHugeManatee]

YANBU OP. We ask our neighbours (and thank them profusely) if we're away overnight. But more than a night or two we pay a cat sitter. It's really entitled to expect someone to be available morning and evening every day for weeks on end just so you can save yourself a few quid in cat sitting. Can't believe all the self-righteous answers in here.