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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is this rude?

83 replies

hibbledibble · 04/09/2020 17:51

I volunteered to look after the neighbours cat while they were away. I don't know then well, but like animals and happy to help neighbours.

The keys were dropped through my letterbox in an envelope, with no instructions. I had to message to check where food was and how much to give. Place was less than pristine, and I had to clean maggots and litter tray (I didn't know this was an indoor cat). Visited 3 times a day to check on the cat, due to heat wave.

On their return, I didn't hear anything. I messaged to ask when they would like their keys back. They said they would collect at X time. No show. Finally knocked on door, to return keys.

I didn't do a favour to receive something back, but was surprised I didn't receive even a verbal thank you on return.
Nk
think t

OP posts:

AltheaVestr1t · 04/09/2020 19:02

Regarding the maggots, disgusting as it is, housefly eggs can hatch within 12 hours in hot weather so this can happen if you leave bowls overnight. But yes, very rude indeed.

AudTheDeepMinded · 04/09/2020 19:02

Not so bad but my neighbour asked me to feed his pond fish for a couple of weeks. Did this, on his return he kindly gave me a small souvenir, lovely. Been asked a couple of times since and it's not even been acknowledged, think I will be unavailable next time. I don't expect a gift but a simple 'thanks' for doing that would be nice. When we went away not one bugger even replaced our wheelie bin from the parking area, tight gits!

AdoptedBumpkin · 04/09/2020 19:05

Does seem ungrateful, at least.

nevertakethechillpill · 04/09/2020 19:05

So bloody rude!

Babyroobs · 04/09/2020 19:11

Very rude, they could have at least brought you a bottle of wine or something.

KarmaStar · 04/09/2020 19:15

Poor cat.if maggots in litter tray and facilities for the cat are dire if be ringing cats protection.

iwantmyownicecreamvan · 04/09/2020 19:20

I've learnt my lesson and will only be animal sitting for people I know well in the future.

Hmm, I wouldn't be surprised if you just found their keys put through your letter box again without any notice and with a cursory note (if any).

ArabellaScott · 04/09/2020 19:21

Yeah, that's rude. I'd give a bottle of wine, at the very least.

CustardySergeant · 04/09/2020 19:21

INCREDIBLY rude! What horrible people they must be.

Ohtherewearethen · 04/09/2020 19:23

Surely a thank you just rolls off the tongue when someone has helped you? Like, it's harder to not say "thank you", you'd have to stop yourself from saying it?! And that's the very least they should have given you. People never cease to amaze me.

OhTheRoses · 04/09/2020 19:25

Crikey one of our vet nurses does cat feeding. £20 per day and she sorts out post, lights, etc.

My cats yomp food immediately so no chance of maggots. I have only once or twice seen a maggot in my outside bin.

I hope the cat was ok?

ChasingRainbow · 04/09/2020 19:29

Wow - spectacularly rude OP
Also would you not have told them about the maggots - filthy sods prob wouldnt even have batted an eyelid.
Sound like very entitled selfish people. Poor cat but id be staying very distant from here on in

SchadenfreudePersonified · 04/09/2020 19:30

I'm glad you did volunteer.

I'll bet if you hadn't, and they weren't able to con anyone into doing it, they would have just left the cat with an open bag of biscuits and a washing up bowl full of water.

You only get maggots in cat food if it has been left uneaten for days. They obviously put food down and if the cat doesn't eat it (perhaps feels a bit unwell) then they leave it down until the poor thing is so humphrey it has no option but to eat a bowl full of filth!

One of these homes that doesn't deserve to have a pet. Poor puss!

Burnthurst187 · 04/09/2020 19:34

We have a cat and have done for nine years. We often look after our friend's cats if they go away. They have three

Even though we own a cat we still need info, one has special dry food due to bad teeth and a few other bits of info like what time do they eat, what time do they need to be in etc

To have just dropped the keys off and not spoke to you or left notes or even brought you a thank you present is EXTREMELY rude. I really feel for their cat as it sounds like it's not living in very nice conditions. Cooped up all day in a dirty house is awful and it must have a very sad life, I feel very sorry for it

Kaiserin · 04/09/2020 19:37

Really rude, and I worry for the cat.

nosswith · 04/09/2020 19:42

I think you have made the correct decision not to help in future.

Tartyflette · 04/09/2020 19:53

Utter tossers.
How hard is it to say thanks very much?

Standrewsschool · 04/09/2020 20:01

Can’t believe they didn’t speak to you in person prior to the holiday, and talk through the cat’s routine. Ie. When and what to feed him. Or at least leave a note with the details.

A thank you (with holiday gift/chocolate/wine) should have been given.

ILovesPeanuts · 04/09/2020 20:10

Very rude but at least you know not to ask them to look after your animals - clearly quite neglectful if maggots had hatched
Their poor cat! Is it a pedigree? Often those are indoor.

HesterShaw1 · 04/09/2020 20:10

How awful! That poor cat.

Shit like this makes my blood boil. There will always be rude arseholes but they don't sounds like they should have a pet.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 04/09/2020 20:13

@AltheaVestr1t

Regarding the maggots, disgusting as it is, housefly eggs can hatch within 12 hours in hot weather so this can happen if you leave bowls overnight. But yes, very rude indeed.

We kept finding fly eggs in our cats food bowl (no maggots thankfully) and bought a motion sensitive feeding bowl. It's brilliant - he can take his time to eat but no fly eggs.

slashlover · 04/09/2020 20:26

My friend cat sits for me, usually for 3 or 4 days/nights once per year. She gets a bottle of vodka at the time and also an extra present at Christmas "from the cat".

Mothership4two · 04/09/2020 21:43

Wow, at their behaviour. We give neighbours a bottle of wine and would do more except they insist we don't. I also make sure all bowls are gleaming (and house is in a reasonable state). Our old cat developed health problems while we were away and pooed all around the house. My neighbour just left it and said "I don't do that" which was fair enough although pretty grim to come home to. I don't think I would ask a neighbour if our cat needed a litter tray and we were going away for some considerable time ie enough time for it to be changed.

Personally I would have been tempted to dump the maggoty bowl in their sink and use my own bowl and maybe leave the litter tray (although mean to cat so probably wouldn't do that). I would have kept the key until they asked for it.

Neighbours sound awful. Say "no" next time.

Mothership4two · 04/09/2020 21:45

That sounds like great idea @PinkSparklyPussyCat. We had fly egg problem this summer. Can you remember where you got it? Tx

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 04/09/2020 21:53

I got it from Amazon - Sure Feed

It wasn't as expensive as that when I bought it but I think Fetch sell them and you can also buy from Sure Pet Care. I didn't think Harry would get on with it but after I put him in front of the bowl a few times and he realised how it works he was fine.

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