To think my cat sitter was in the wrong?

[Tabbyz]

I got back from holiday yesterday and I used a cat sitter for my 2 cats. The instructions were clear, one cat can come and go as she pleases and the other one can come in while cat sitter is there but must put her back out before leaving.

The first day they came, they did a visit in the morning and evening and in the evening report it said that there was a poo outside of the litter tray and they had cleaned it up. I messaged her to say that will be because you kept Olivia inside and if you keep her outside, she will toilet outside.

I got back yesterday to a poo in my living room and Olivia was inside!! I contacted her asking why my instructions were not adhered to and she said she didn’t think it was in Olivia’s best interest to be outside as she didn’t want to go and when she placed her outside she was crying to come back in. But it’s not up to her to make that decision. Those were my wishes and the cat would’ve been absolutely fine, it was only 4 days . What is the point in leaving them instructions? AIBU to leave a bad review and not use them again?

If the cats were in the UK then I can understand the sitter being reluctant to put a cat outside all day. My very outdoor-loving cat spent most of last week inside on the coldest floor he could find because it was too hot for him outside.

So you wanted your cat left outside with no shelter or opportunity to come inside for 4 days?

Cat Sitter here and I would be angry with her. I follow instructions to the letter (whether I agree with them or not).
Can you write her a review on the platform you booked her on?

You are wrong. You do need a cat flap. You cannot leave a cat outside in this heat! Where is your cat going to get shade and water?
I think the sitter cares for the wellbeing of the cat, so that is why she did not follow command... maybe she should have refused to "sit" your cats. I think I would have.

And if this poor cat dies of heatstroke, then which review should be left in the website?
I think you should not have pets or look after pets if you cannot see an issue with the welfare of the animal here.

Horrible thing to do to a cat to lock it outside for 4 days when its crying to come in.

I'm glad they didn't do it.

Plus did you expect them to chase the cat around the house in order to be able to pick it up and throw it out?

There is shade, we have a big back garden and there is plenty of shade and I ask them to
leave dry food and water outside! I paid for two 45 minute visits a day so that she could spend time with them and play with them after feeding. So my cat could come inside during that time while she is monitored, she just refuses to use her litter tray for poos

Perhaps the cat sitter has personal boundaries around animal cruelty and wasn’t prepared to violate them? If I were responsible for an animal and it was literally crying to come inside, I wouldn’t ignore it either. Look after your own pet if you want to insist on it being mistreated.

If you'd throw a cat out in a heatwave that's distressed and crying to come in, you're very much in the wrong job.

WTF!! You wanted a cat sitter to leave a cat outdoors in what had been the hottest few days of the year! You do realise that in the last few days it’s been up to 32 degrees outside!! If I was the cat sitter I would absolutely not be working for you again!! For the record when we go away our cat is shut indoors for the time we are away!

You hired a human being who presumably cares about animal welfare, not a machine to follow your 'exact instructions'. Many people would be disinclined to turf a cat out all day in a heatwave. If you write a review of her saying what you have here, you will probably make her more attractive to future clients, because many would prefer initiative to be used by the sitter in the animals interests.

I think you need a rethink OP - that is not acceptable. You were told by the cat sitter and have now been told by everyone here. Locking your cat outside for 22.5 hrs a day is not ok. Poor Olivia :(

Poor Olivia. I‘m on her side here. Most cat lovers would feel the same. Please tell me you have a well insulated shelter outside the house Olivia can access in extreme hot or cold conditions.

But sure, the time for the sitter to object was when you told her about those conditions, not after the sit was over.

We had a live-in sitter once who did the opposite - left our boy out all night because ‘that’s what he prefers’. In our case it’s safer for the cat to be indoors at night. In your case it’s because … you can’t get poor Olivia to use a litter tray for some reason? I confess I left a bit of a passive-aggressive review along the lines of ‘cat appreciated her laid-back attitude’, but then our sitter was not being paid (unpaid sit in exchange for accommodation). If you were paying for the service and she ignored your instructions, then of course you can point that out in a review - just be prepared for every single cat person to think you’re the mean one here.

You don’t sound like a cat lover to me. It was boiling last week. My cat loves being outdoors but not so much last week in the midday sun.

I have three cats and none of them come in the house. They have sheds and barns and a massive garden and orchard to actually live in. They don't need to be in the house.

Then you need to get a cat flap, not chuck your cat outside for 23 hours a day with no access to the house, especially in 30+ degree heat.

Your actions towards your cat are unkind. A poo on your floor is much better to come home to than a distressed or dead cat.

Of course I understand but there is lots of shaded areas to cool down outside. My cat spends a lot of time outdoors, she is very much an outdoor cat. I work from home so when I’m here she comes and goes as she pleases but spends the majority of the time outside and always has done, in all weathers. My cat sitter was coming between 6am and 10am in the morning and then again between 4pm and 8pm in the evening. That’s a long time for her to not to outside, I can guarantee, within 20 minutes of the cat sitter leaving she would’ve wanted to go back out again. I know my cat, I know she would’ve been meowing at the door just because she knows someone is there and she probably wanted treats or something. If the cat sitter left her out, she would’ve trotted off and been absolutely fine. if this was a major welfare concern, such as there was no food or water or she was confined to a small space in direct sun light then fair enough. But I would not do that. I knew that my cat would be fine in these circumstances and the sitter should have respected that

So they have sheds and shelter - very different to them just being chucked out with no indoor space to go to.

we absolutely have shelter in the back

Shelter as in buildings that are protected from the elements? Or just shaded areas?

Think your cat sitter is in the right

You cleaned the poo up. Its a lot less invasive than cat piss.

I would rather clean up 3 shits a day in my living room than lock my cat outside for 22 hours in a fucking heatwave.

I don't blame the pet sitter one bit. I absolutely could not lock a crying animal outside of her home knowing it could reach 34 degrees!

I imagine if you had come home to a dead cat feom heatstroke that would be the catsitters fault too!

Get a catflap! Clean up the poo!

No. Actually. REHOME POOR OLIVIA if cleaning up after her is too much.

She said she was crying to come in. That is not an 'outdoor cat' by choice. She is too messy for you so you don't let her in your home!

And where exactly does your cat sleep that keeps her safe from predators?

I think if your car sitter had concerns about the weather they could have asked you about it since you are clearly in regular contact. They shouldn't just ignore a key instruction.

I can't judge whether the cat has adequate shade and cool areas outside but I think most pet owners love their pets and will have thought that part through.

If you don’t have a proper outbuilding or building type structure for cat to go in, you’re a twat who doesn’t deserve to be a cat owner. It was a heatwave and “shaded areas”, incredibly vague and ambiguous is nowhere near acceptable enough for a cat to shelter in a heatwave. By all means leave her a bad review, but I hope she names and shames you in return for your cruelty because it’s no less than you deserve by the sounds of it! YABVU.