AIBU to think my neighbour’s cat care problem is not mine?

[Thepartwhereidrun]

My neighbour stopped my son on his way out last night to ask if he would look after her cat when she is away from tomorrow for 2 weeks, going in twice a day. He said sorry but he couldn’t.

I didn’t know she had spoken to him until she knocked our door and told us. Her cat sitter has let her down last minute and now she won’t be able to go on holiday unless she can find someone else. Nightmare for her, but her cat sitter is ill so it can’t be helped. I said I can’t help her but I text our dog sitter, who also does cat sitting to ask if she had availability and said I’d get back to her if she could do it.

She asked if I would also ask my son again, which I did when he got home, but he doesn’t want to do it. He has just finished his A levels and wants to be free to come and go as he pleases which is understandable. I said that if he has said no then that means he can’t.

Our dog sitter text me back to say she didn’t have any availability for the first week but could do the second week. I text my neighbour to let her know and to give her sitters contact details. She has just text back ‘no good, what am I meant to do for the first week?’

I haven’t replied as although I get she is probably feeling desperate, how the fuck is her cat my problem?

As I said it’s the way the neighbour has asked and not taken an answer of no that is unreasonable.
When we fed my neighbours cats she left the vets number in the fridge, they had a cat flap so had no litter tray so it was literally a case of going in giving fresh water, quickly washing up their food bowls and then putting down a full one of biscuits as they were used to grazing and their meat for breakfast and tea.
I did have a minor panic mid week as I hadn’t seen the male cat for 2 days, but he was probably coming back after I left and before my son was going in at teatime.
I messaged her to ask her if she wanted me to do anything in particular to try and track him down and she replied he won’t have gone far and I did see him at breakfast the next day.
The OP is away as is her son, I guess it wasn’t explained properly to the neighbour when she asked because that’s the only reason I can think she wouldn’t let it go.

Oh and op if you think even for one second that for 24hour the cat has been left alone this is about the only time the rspca will be helpful but you’ll have to state you haven’t seen anyone and believe the cat is alone not just you think it might be.

They will come out and stick a card in the door frame. They will come back again 24hour later if no contact is made to see if the card has moved at all to see if someone is coming or not. If the card has moved but no contact they will still visit again.

or shes an entitled pain in the arse?

This is what you wrote to the OP…..

”OP, couldn’t you speak to your work and see if you can skip the work trip? Just explain the situation with the cat.
failing that, your son could skip his camping trip”

And you suggested someone who was complaining about feeling like a restaurant due to her family all requesting different things on a different thread…..

”Could you reduce your hours at work, OP, to meal plan, shop and prepare/cook for your family? Or is there any other way of you carving out time?”

And when someone queried why it was that OPs responsibility, you answered…..

”it IS OP’s responsibility as a mother to ensure her family are served healthy and nutritious meals every day that they enjoy.”

So I honestly don’t think you should be responding @Spaghettimonsta and suggesting she ‘sounds a little unhinged’.

Come on. You’ve been here long enough to know to read the OPs posts.

@NoCommentingFromNowOn

I was having a funny turn when I wrote those, please forgive me

Well maybe @Spaghettimonsta is also having a funny turn? Are you going to forgive her too?

Honestly, I think ‘if you can’t take it then don’t give it out’ is a fairly good motto to run your life by.

(Have I got that saying correct?)

Its the heat....or the full moon....or something ;)

I’m just here for the cat pictures at this point!

No, but your OP gave no indication that you were camping or travelling with work either. It seems you were just dying to say "can't means can't", rather than explaining your reason for being unable to help in your original post/to your neighbour

It wasn't my OP.

But why does OP need to give a reason?
If they don’t want/can’t then that’s up to them.

No one has to become obligated to someone else if they don’t choose to.

Sorry to hijack, but should be the going rate for a 17-year-old teen feeding a neighbour's cat twice a day for two weeks? Ironically my DD has just been asked by someone who lives two streets away she's done the odd day for. They'd been paying her £5 per once a day visit previously but in light of this thread, that feels too low!

same question from me is she (or you) prepared to be responsible for the cat while the owners are away?

An easy way to store up a favour- you might one day need one back!
Can i just ask if you are from the south of England?

Yes she would.

Why does it matter where we are from?

Does the cat crap on your garden?

Have you been asked to feed the cat, or are you the mother if the don’s friend?

I presume the friend went on holiday today (or not). Op, is the cat home alone?

@Passingthrough123our adult cat sitter charges £6 per day for 2 visits. She lives 5 minutes walk from us. So I'd say £5 for 1 visit is fair.

National living wage or London living wage per hour or part thereof.

Two feeds per day is two hours wages, so two weeks is:

£12.71 x 2 x 14 = £355.88.

Don't allow yourselves to be exploited.

Mine comes twice a day and feeds two cats and sees to a small rodent too.
She charges £10 per day and she’s insured etc.

So £10 for a kid neighbour seems very reasonable.

It doesn’t take an hour to feed a cat.

Why doesn't she contact a cattery. It costs £14 a day and that includes the food and cat litter. Mind you the one I use gets booked up so she might have left it too late

That's not the point. If you have to stop what you're doing and return home to feed the cat, then you shouldn't just be paid for 10 minutes. Would you accept a job that expected you to commit to two shifts a day, but only paid you 20 minutes' wages?