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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

...to think she should have mentioned the cat???

82 replies

EmmaGrundyForPM · 27/08/2018 07:46

We arrived at our holiday villa in Greece last night quite late, In the dark. Lovely owner came and met us, showed us round the villa, explained how to work the air conditioning, when the pool guy would turn up etc. Also left lots of lovely things for us - beer wine, Jams, honey, butter, bread, selection of English tea. Her English was excellent. She told us that if we had any problems to call her and she would come but she lives about an hour away. All good and lovely.

We've woken up this morning to the sound
scratcing at the front door. Went out to investigate and there is a cat sitting there. Not a feral cat - plenty of those around and they are very thin and mangy. This cat is sleek, well fed and has a collar and bell, so clearly belongs to someone. She then walks very expectantly over to a cupboard under the porch where I realise there's a pile of foil trays of cat food and then next to the cupboard are two bowls, one with water in and one which clearly is used for cat food. Hadn't noticed these last night as it was dark. And the owner didn't mention it.

So, it appears that the cat comes with the villa. That's ok, we are cat lovers so not a big deal. But is it not a bit odd for the owner not to mention it? Also, the cat food will last 3 days if we feed her twice a day so we'll need to go and buy more cat food.

OP posts:
thegreylady · 27/08/2018 08:27

We stayed in a small apartment outside SAN Gimignano which had a resident cat which had been named Cake and the visitors’ book was full of comments about feeding him. He never came inside but there was a lean to shed where he slept.
He made the holiday.

Aaaahfuck · 27/08/2018 08:29

Aww if you love cats just feed her and buy more food. I'd love a holiday rental that came with a cat.

You could maybe mention it to the owner in a way like you were concerned the cat might belong to someone.

SuburbanRhonda · 27/08/2018 08:32

Don’t forget to pack her in your suitcase at the end of your holiday - she’s gorgeous!

Sophia99 · 27/08/2018 08:35

LOL how weird!

YANBU and she should have told you!!!

I would still be chuffed to find a kitty at my villa though, not gonna lie!

YANBU to not be pleased obvs!

Sparklingbrook · 27/08/2018 08:39

People with cat allergies don't go on holiday to Greece? I did not know that.

If it's outside and doesn't come in that makes it a bit better.

GeorgeTheHippo · 27/08/2018 08:40

Can't you just feed it and accept it as a quirk of your holiday?

UrsulaPandress · 27/08/2018 08:44

Just phone the owner.

Sparkletastic · 27/08/2018 08:45

Gorgeous cat but from the heft of it I suspect it could be a 'Six Dinner Sid'

MadMaryBoddington · 27/08/2018 08:47

I love it when my holiday villa comes with a free cat.

SloeBerries · 27/08/2018 08:50

Maybe the food is for her own cat, which is with her and this one has cottoned in holiday makers will feed it out her supply...?

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 27/08/2018 08:52

I'd phone the owner. Previous holiday people might have bought the food/bowls. The cat might belong to someone living nearby but knows it's on to a good thing because people feed it at the holiday let.

Just ask the owner.

AtrociousCircumstance · 27/08/2018 08:55

Obviously just call the owner.

NonaGrey · 27/08/2018 08:56

Someone has clearly been feeding the cat but it’s not necessarily the owner.

Call and check.

I would be most unhappy to find a cat/cat related responsibilities came with my holiday.

CyclesPerfecta · 27/08/2018 08:57

I would say very European thing not mentioning the cat. It’s not seen as a big deal there, especially if the cat doesn’t go inside the house (which is also very common where I’m from - Czechia). Sadly for some reason in our cultures we’re not very clued up about dealing with people with allergies.

Skittlesandbeer · 27/08/2018 08:57

Definitely call the owner to ask. I can’t see how it would be seen as fussy to clarify the situation? You aren’t complaining.

I’m amazed at all the cat-lovers on here jumping on the assumption that feeding, housing, petting, buying stuff for the cat is automatically in this cat’s best interest. Wouldn’t it be kinder to establish that the cat needs your attentions first? What if it supposed to be living elsewhere at the moment and has run off? What if it has special needs (diet, disease, medicine, care)?

Whether I loved or hated cats would be secondary to doing some basic detective work.

Separately, I’d be quite unimpressed to find any other inhabitants (of any species) in a rental property. 100% not ok to not mention it in the property info. The last thing I need on a hard-earned holiday is surprises, or extra responsibilities. However pretty (and she is).

deepsea · 27/08/2018 08:58

Given all the cat food is outside I imagine the previous guests have arranged this and the cleaner only cleaned inside possibly didn’t think/know it was there.
It is your call what you do re owner I am willing to bet she doesn’t expect you to feed her pet every day!!! 😆 I am sure it is a lovely stray looking for friends and food 🐱

Singlenotsingle · 27/08/2018 09:00

Just be grateful a pet comes with the property. It's no trouble to put food down is it? Yes the owner's a CF but that's not the cat's fault.

diddl · 27/08/2018 09:07

Are you going to ask the owner about it?

I must say that it would make my holiday, but appreciate that that it's not for everyone!

NonaGrey · 27/08/2018 09:14

Just be grateful a pet comes with the property. It's no trouble to put food down is it?

I wouldn’t be in the least grateful and I would think putting out yukky, smelly cat food and clearing up afterwards was “trouble”.

It would actively detract from the holiday for me.

chocolateworshipper · 27/08/2018 09:23

To the people saying what if you were allergic? No one allergic to cats would book a Greek holiday as Greece is so full of cats.

What a lot of rubbish. I'm allergic to cats, but I have no problem if there are cats wandering around outside. However, if there were cats hairs inside the villa I was staying in, that would be a whole different ball game.

lovelovelovepancakes · 27/08/2018 09:28

Giving a cat a bit of food is really no hardship. It doesn't distract from a holiday unless you are a piece of shit who only cares about yourself.

I fucking despair of MN and all the selfish shitty behaviour it seems to encourage. I'm done.

Twotailed · 27/08/2018 09:28

I can only imagine it doesn’t actually belong to the villa but knows it sometimes gets fed there by well meaning visitors so turns up regularly?

Otherwise it is very very odd!

WatcherintheRye · 27/08/2018 09:29

Yes, you would have thought she'd have mentioned it, as everything seems to be set up for looking after a cat. However, this would make our holiday! I wouldn't even bother the villa owner, if it were me. I'd probably just stock up on cat food from the local supermarket! Does the villa come with a pool as well? If so, op, please can you dm me the details?!!

NonaGrey · 27/08/2018 09:34

It doesn't distract from a holiday unless you are a piece of shit who only cares about yourself.

So not liking cats = selfish and shitty??

Goodness. You might need to explain that logic to me love

MrsMarigold · 27/08/2018 09:37

We stayed somewhere in France where a dog turned up daily, the kids loved it, she had a water bowl which we topped up. Apparently she is the village dog. She was well groomed and had a collar. We liked it also stayed in hotels in Italy with cats.

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