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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cat pooped and weed bed while we were away - cat sitter didn’t deal with mess

127 replies

Branches1 · 14/08/2020 23:12

Just like the title suggests, we are currently away and our cat is being looked after by a cat sitter from an agency. Lovely lady with lots of experience of cats. Things seemed to be going well until our cat peed and pooped in a bed. This has never happened before but I understand it can be a stress reaction, or perhaps the litter tray wasn’t clean, or the cat didn’t have access to the litter tray for a period of time if the door was accidentally shut, etc.

My issue is that the cat sitter texted about this after they left the property. They left the mess as it was and they won’t attend until at some point tomorrow. I called back to discuss but it is what it is at this point.

I am now worried sick about the state of the bed - i don’t think the smell will ever come out as it will have been left for 24h or more. I worry that it has soaked through to the mattress and we will have to buy a new bed. I worry about the house, cat urine is awful and there might be damage to the property. I worry about our lovely cat who must be extremely unhappy to have done something like this - and for all I know she might have done it again as her own mess is still on full display and may confuse her.

I’m probably going to leave husband and kids and fly back earlier as I am worried sick!

This is going to be very expensive to fix. Husband was laid off and we have no money, this couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

Any advice on what to do? Help!

OP posts:
EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 15/08/2020 00:17

I never feel dry cleaning properly cleans stuff - isn't there a launderette with large machines near you?

If the room smells, leave bowls of white vinegar out - it really does get rid of smells, not make the room smell like a chip shop!

Railingsohno · 15/08/2020 00:18

This is crazy! Just forget about it and deal with it when you get back. How much pee and poo can one cat do?! 😁

Original poster
Branches1 · 15/08/2020 00:23

Passmethecrisps you are right, my cat and my responsibility however I left it in the care of someone who would step in for me in my absence. Not asking for laundry or any massive cleaning efforts, just removing the mess and making sure it doesn’t soak through to the mattress. This was discussed in advance.

Anyways message received, the consensus seems to be that I am overreacting and being unreasonable. That’s why I asked, I wanted to get an outside perspective so thanks everyone for taking the time.

OP posts:
PermaStress · 15/08/2020 00:24

Hang on it's not soaking into the mattress but on a duvet, duvet cover, sheet and mattress protector?
Just launder those things when you return. Wash what won't fit in the machine the old fashioned way, in the bath or at a laundrette!

She should at least remove the poo. If cleaning up accidents is in the contract I'd let rip at the agency.

Original poster
Branches1 · 15/08/2020 00:24

Thanks for the vinegar tip Smile

OP posts:
Yaottie · 15/08/2020 00:25

I'd be pissed off as well. If the sitter knew it was there she should have cleaned it up, it doesn't take a lot of common sense to realise you should at least take the shit off the bed and at the very very least take the bedclothes off the bed and chuck them in the bathtub so it doesn't get into the mattress

Couchbettato · 15/08/2020 00:29

Why did you leave your bedroom doors open?

YABU to consider coming home because of it. I don't think I'd be best pleased about the situation but it's hardly a big deal.

But I just don't understand why you'd leave soft furnishings available for your cat to jump on. Even if they hadn't shit on the bed, they'd shit somewhere, bury it, probably stand in it in the process and then tread germs all over your bed. Mind you. I feel the same about countertops so it isn't just soft furnishings.

whywhywhy6 · 15/08/2020 00:33

I don’t know - I feel differently to most. It wouldn’t have killed the sitter to make an attempt at cleaning it up and getting the sheets off the bed. What was the point in telling you if they intended to ignore it. I’d be annoyed.
Having said that, don’t fly home and just clean it up when you get back. Hopefully it will be manageable.
Enjoy your holiday.

Serin · 15/08/2020 00:34

What was he/she doing upstairs? Or do you live in a bungalow?
Our last agency cat sitter, fed our cat 2x day for 15days and put all the empty sachets into the bin in the kitchen.
And didnt empty it for 2 weeks.Envy
I have been in a house with a week old dead person in it and it did not smell as bad as our kitchen when we got back home.
Since then our teen neighbour has looked after the cat and done a much better job.

AllNaturalIngredients · 15/08/2020 00:35

Don’t ruin the holiday for this OP. Enjoy your time with your family.

Although I do agree I would have expected cat sitter to strip The bed

Original poster
Branches1 · 15/08/2020 00:36

It’s the third time we’ve left the cat (new sitter this time though). It’s only been one week this time. Previous years we were away for longer and all went well. We didn’t close any doors or limit her access on those occasions so it didn’t occur to me to do so this time either. Nothing like this has ever happened before

OP posts:
Vehivle · 15/08/2020 00:36

Hi just wanted to say - we had a similar experience. Except it was my deadbeat brother who we paid to clean out the cat trays (he did not) and we returned to find out sofa DRENCHED in cat piss and poo. The smell literally hit you in the face when you stepped into the front door!! Anyways - we got through 2 giant bottles of that blue cat urine smell remover stuff (you can buy from Amazon and pets at home). We used that to drench the large sofa cushions. We also stripped all the coverings and they also got soaked, then washed twice.

It took about a week - a day of soaking and washing, a day for drying and then we would smell (when dry) for missed spots. There were lots first time round. Cue second round of soaking, washing etc.

Fast forward 2 years and we still have the sofa :D and it doesnt smell of cat pee AT ALL. Not a trace! And I have slept on it many a time so my face has been all over it/ I would have picked up the smell. I've got a good sense of smell. It was a 2k sofa so we couldnt throw it out!! Seriously god bless that blue cat urine stuff. Cannot recommend enough!

katy1213 · 15/08/2020 00:37

As long as you don't make a drama out of a crisis.

RiseUpWiseUpEyesUp · 15/08/2020 00:38

I’ve cat sat for people before. I would have messaged you to explain what had happened and asked if I could strip the bed - I wouldn’t just strip it automatically without permission because that’s a bit weird. Did she at least clean up the poo?

Having 4 cats myself I know what a pain in the arse it is to have one piss on the bed so I definitely wouldn’t leave it! I recommend “wee away” made by the rspca. It doesn’t matter if it’s dried up, it still works (and it won’t be that much on the mattress if there’s a duvet etc). I have a handheld black light to show up the cat wee and the wee away does a good job at lifting it.

Sorry for the waffle. It’s not going to be a disaster, honest. Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Original poster
Branches1 · 15/08/2020 00:39

Oh no Serin, that sounds terrible, yuck... I would much prefer to have a family friend or neighbour do it but no luck this year

OP posts:
Original poster
Branches1 · 15/08/2020 00:40

@RiseUpWiseUpEyesUp Thank you!!! Will definitely look into wee away.

And no they didn’t remove the poo Sad

OP posts:
MsEllany · 15/08/2020 00:41

I don’t think you’re unreasonable Confused. What on Earth are you paying someone for if all they do is just note the cat has soiled the bed and don’t even strip it?

I also don’t really understand - google suggests a going rate of between £30-40 a day, and people are saying it’s unreasonable to expect them to strip a bed?! Talk about money for old rope.

Original poster
Branches1 · 15/08/2020 00:42

@Vehivle so there is hope Smile thank you so much!!

OP posts:
BluebellForest836 · 15/08/2020 00:47

What does a cat sitter even do?

Just come in and put some food down each day? I would guess you have a cat flap so it comes and goes as it pleases ...?

melj1213 · 15/08/2020 00:58

YABU to consider flying home early but YANBU to expect the cat sitter to have at least dealt with the mess.

It is surely a basic expectation that a cat sitter will deal with any mess created by the cat while they are watching them? For most that would just be cleaning food bowls, cleaning litter trays, sweeping/hoovering up cat hair (some cats can shed a lot, especially in the current heat, so I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask a cat sitter to keep on top of cat hair if you're away for more than say a weekend) but if a cat has pooped/peed somewhere in the house then they should definitely deal with that especially in the current heat - why would they leave it knowing they have to return to the house the following day, after the poo/pee has had a day to marinate in the heat and stink the place out? Surely its basic common sense to get rid of any solid waste and at the very least remove any soft furnishings that have been peed on? Even if they dont want to wash them, they could take them off, stick them in a bin bag and put them in the kitchen/by the washing machine so you could deal with them when you got home.

Did you confine the cat to specific areas or was the whole house accessible? If it was a case that the whole house was accessible then I do think it is partly your responsibility to ensure that the cat only has access to specific areas that contain their food and water, litter tray and bed/blankets to prevent this kind of thing but if it is the cat sitters fault for letting the cat out of the area it was supposed to be in then they definitely should have dealt with the consequences of their action.

CoffeeRunner · 15/08/2020 01:01

Good heavens. I have ask OP. How do you ever cope with REAL problems?

This is so ridiculous it’s almost unbelievable.

I have 2 very lovely cats. I most certainly wouldn’t end my holiday early because one had had a poo on a bed!!

FeelTheRush · 15/08/2020 01:06

YANBU to be annoyed at the cat sitter - I would have expected her to call me and ask how I’d like it dealt with. Flying home early is a bit much though!

TenShortStories · 15/08/2020 01:11

What a useless cat sitter, not even scraping the poo into the toilet and bunging the bedding into the bathtub.

Flying home early would only have worked if you could have timed it to in the act in order to save your bedding. After that, a few more days will make no difference. One wee isn't exactly going to spend days dripping through until it reaches the floorboards. And if the bed is your own then it won't affect the smell of the house once you vacate.

IDSNeighbour · 15/08/2020 01:13

I wouldn't have thought a cat would produce so much urine in one accident that it would soak through a duvet cover, duvet, sheet and mattress protector, would it? You'll obviously have to get all those things cleaned but I would have thought the mattress would be okay?

Having said that, if I thought for a second that my cat was unhappy I'd come home! I called the cattery the first night I left him there to check he had settled, fully prepared to come back for him if he hadn't Blush. I wouldn't have a good time thinking he wasn't ok. BUT I don't have a family and travel on my own mostly so a) my cat is a wee bit spoiled! and b) I'd only be ruining my own holiday by being so crazy. If it would upset your family for you to leave, I would probably stay.

ShalomToYouJackie · 15/08/2020 01:15

YANBU, I'd expect them to pick up the poo and strip the bed+put in the bath or a bin bag.

My cat weed on the duvet cover once when I first got him and I had to bin duvet cover, duvet, bed sheet and mattress as I couldn't get the smell out and that would've been 8 hours max.

I'd also be concerned about why he did it, had he been shut in the bedroom or his litter tray not emptied? I would've left early if it was me but I'm a crazy cat lady!