To expect a thank you at least?

[LampLighterInn]

'Morning all,

This is bugging me somewhat and I'd appreciate your thoughts.

I recently looked after my friend's cat for 2 weeks whilst they were away. I also looked after her when friend was away earlier in the year, in fact I've often been asked and have always said 'yes'.

I look after her pretty well, I pop up to friend's house twice, often 3 times a day (if she doesn't appear) and I sit with her for 30 mins whilst she eats, walks away, comes back, eats and we usually have a play and a cuddle, she's a sweet cat. I wash up her bowls so that they are clean when friend returns home.

The bit that has got me is that friend never thanks me, not a text, or a face to face, even after she's returned home and we've met up. I asked how Cat is when we met and friend replies that 'Cat' is really good but never says: "Thank you for looking after her for me" it might sound trivial but I feel taken for granted, especially as she doesn't return the favour when I'm away.

I have another friend look after my pets, she does it beautifully and to recognise this I buy her a thank you card and a gift, she's doing me a huge favour and looking after my pets is an effort for her and takes time out of her day.
This friend is not a friend of 'Cat's' owner.

When I met up with the first friend after her holiday, she was carrying a gift bag but didn't mention it, so when we said goodbye I referred to it and it was a gift for someone else!

So I'm feeling....well, upset to be honest.

This isn't an isolated incident, there's been a number of things in the past that have happened.

AIBU to expect a 'thank you'? Or is this just how things are these days?

Our cat sitters always get nice gifts (flowers, gift/s from wherever we've been) and lots of thank yous.

I'd stop agreeing to do it IIWY.

Agree with everyone else and it's good you're going to look into setting up as a business - I'm sure there's a call for it.

If we go away for 1 or 2 nights my cousin comes round and feeds them. I always get her a bottle of wine to say thanks and when we last went out for dinner I paid as she's done it twice in a month.

Definitely be unavailable the next time she asks.

Find a link to a local pet sitter and forward that to her next time she asks.

Many charge £15-20 a day for 2-3 visits.

She's clearly not appreciating you.

Terrible behaviour. I wouldn't say anything now, but next time she asks it'd be "Sorry, can't help" and if she asks why, "Well friend, I've now looked after Cat x times and you've never so much as said thank you, so I feel rather used."

Have you ever asked her for a favour? Might be an interesting experiment.

£5 per visit for my pet sitter. The one before that was £5 per animal, so cost me £15 per visit. Plus additional for a litter tray change. Seriously, a thank you is the least she can do.

Glad to read your update. The kennels we use charge £15 a day for cats, so you are saving her a packet. Not buying you a present is bad enough. To not even say thank you is a total piss take! I can't quite believe she can be so self absorbed! Next time she asks, tell her she can go whistle for it!

I'm happy to read your update too.
Nowt so queer as folk. And none queerer than the ungrateful bastard ones.

How fucking cheeky. I had similar with a neighbour. I have a cat and she has 6, she first started asking favours for when a visit to the cat hotel fell through whilst she was going to be on holiday. The cat hotel visits stopped as she realised what a mug I was, doing the same job but for free. I have children and as generally busy but she started to seem to think I have nothing better to do than to check up on and feed her cats all the time. She was expecting me to do it even if she just went out for a few hours during the day. If I didn't answer the door, she would stick a note through.
The last few times she's been round saying 'I'm going away on the 20th...' I've guessed what was coming next and cut in, 'how lovely! So are we'. She should get the hint soon!

And am*

I should also add that I've never asked the same favour of her. What bothers me is the lack of respect for my time. She just assumes I've got nothing on when it's actually a massive inconvenience.

My cats are cattery only, usually, as I said. So someone helping me out in a bind just for two days was worth its weight in gold.

Even then, I worried sick.

You've been used, with no apparent appreciation. So, please, dump her. Hard.

Really hard one, as I would always think of the poor cat if no one could look after him/her, but I think your friend is rude not saying thank you (not the cats fault that her owner is rude though!)

Really bloody cheeky. It’s a benefit to have someone you trust look after your cat in their home so they are not unsettled by a chattery. They’re taking the piss. Be unavailable.

My niece looks after my cat for a weekend or so and I am very grateful, always buy her a gift and say thank you.

*cattery even!

OP join catinaflat.com as a sitter and start getting paid jobs doing it - then you can forward your booking page to ‘friend’ when she asks you next 😉

Yes definitely join cat in a flat! I use that for my own cat and they are paid per visit. You can then refer her to your advert, and say maybe you will offer a discount