Cat care for DSis holiday

[CatTrouble]

DM and DSis are going away together at the start of November. DSis has 3 cats who were going to be cared for by a neighbour but the neighbour can no longer look after them.

DSis has asked other neighbours, friends and now me, as they’ve all said they can’t. I have also had to say I can’t due to other commitments which they’re aware of and with my sisters house being over half an hours drive from my house, I can’t fit it in with everything else. The cats would need 2 visits due to needing medication. I said she’d have to book them into a cattery but it turns out 1 cat isn’t up to date with vaccinations (can’t have them due to previous reaction) so the cattery won’t take them.

My DSis found out that my oldest DD is coming home from uni for that week as she has a reading week. DSis sent me a text saying ‘oh thank god, <insert my DD name> will be able to look after them, I was starting to think I’d have to cancel my holiday’. I felt annoyed at the presumption that my DD would do it but rather than say anything, I asked my DD if she’d want to do it. She was also annoyed at being taken for granted but has said she can’t do it anyway as she has reading and work to complete, has made other plans with friends for some of the time she’s here and has managed to get a few shifts at her old part time job. I said that’s all understandable so I have let DSis know that my DD can’t have the cats.

DSis and DM are annoyed and I’ve been told I’ve raised a selfish DD. I’ve said she’s not selfish, she’s busy and the cats aren’t her responsibility. They’re now asking if my other children can do it which they can’t due to being at school, college, working, not driving and one having an allergy to cats. DM has called me almost in tears that their holiday will have to be cancelled. I suggested a cat sitter and got grumpily asked whether I think they’re stupid and of course they’ve tried that but they can’t find one with availability. They genuinely seem to think we are being unreasonable by not helping. Are we?

I'm a catsitter and definitely have availability in November. HOWEVER - is she very pushy on the times that the medication needs to be giving? Sounds like the cat might be diabetic and the insulin needs to given 12 hours apart? She needs to switch the cat to a more flexible, long acting insulin that gives the catsitter a longer time window to come round (usually about 3 hours).

I've had the odd grumpy anxious prospective cat owner client who insist their cat needs a visit at 8am/8pm exactly. They seem to forget I have both a life and other clients. If I can visit some time between 6-9am/pm (and the owner doesn't start off grumpy), that makes all the difference in whether I accept the job or not.

I strongly suspect your sister/mum just don’t want to pay the going rate for a sitter - I can’t believe there is no professional with availability at this time of the year. It’s not peak summer.
I’d personally just do a quick google / facebook search and ring one or two to check availability. Then you can pass on the details if you’re successful. At the very least, it’ll show you’ve been helpful and they’ll have to stop trying to guilt you as you’ve shown they have other options.

Go and look on pawshake, find someone available and send her the details. I really don’t think they can have looked properly.

Is the holiday overseas?

I wouldn’t speak to them at all about this. This is not your problem and they are being CF in assuming you or your kids will do it for knockoff prices.

As they’ve been rude to you about not being able to help, and rude about your daughter as well I’d not get involved any more about it. Her cats, her issue to sort out care. I can’t believe no one can help in November, hardly peak holiday season. I expect she doesn’t want to pay a cat sitter rather than them not being available.

If they can’t go away then that’s a shame but that happens when you have animals.

I would guess your sister doesn’t want to pay for a cat sitter. I pay mine £10 per visit so £20 a day. YANBU. She’s got a nerve to assume someone else is going to do this. Perhaps your DD could suggest she’ll do it if she’s paid?

Exactly. The story about no one available is nonsense. They just want it cheap. The cheek to assume op and her dd will do this. They will just have to figure it out or cancel

Why does op need to do all this?? I guarantee they know they can find someone, but they will have to pay so they want a cheap option

Not your problem and don't feel guilty. I think cat sitter availability depends greatly on the area you are in. I'm in South East and its blimming difficult to get a sitter especially if one of your cats requires medicine. It is also not cheap at £30 per day for a 30 min morning and 30 min evening visit. To be honest it became so problematic that we now make sure one adult stays at home with the cats. There are very little catteries willing to give a cat medicine 12 hours apart. My cats come first and to be honest I now arrange my life round them 😂

They should put a request on ‘Next door’ if you don’t know it it’s a kind of Facebook for your immediate area. I’m rural so my ‘Next Door’ is all our neighbouring villages. People are always looking for local feeders and there are always plenty of offers for help. Not just pet sitting, everything from local trades people recommendations to borrowing a lawn mower for the day .. it’s a great site and restores faith in humanity that neighbours do actually like helping each other out.

https://www.google.com/search?q=nextdoor+app&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari&iga=1&utm_campaign=safari_share_1

Views aren’t irrelevant, they’re potential solutions. DD didn’t want to do ALL of it, nowhere does it she she wouldn’t pick up some of it.

Someone locally will do it; she needs to post on fb and ask around

Can't you have them at your house? Or for the sake of it just help out. Granted you shouldn't have to, but would be nice if you tried. Im sure if the shoe was on the other foot. Or is it a case your being contrary due to the fact your not going with them?

As a former cat sitter, there are lots of us about. I'd wager she hasn't tried hard enough to look for one or doesn't want to pay what it costs!
A half hour + drive there and back plus sorting the cat will lose you a good hour and a half, so that's at least three hours a day gone if there are two visits.
That's a very big ask and that's very unreasonable unless you or DD are happy to do it.
There are national franchises of pet sitters with people all over, as well as independents like my old business.
I have cared for cats with diabetes, thyroid issues and requiring various types of medication. This is our bread and butter.
When you get a cat or three, you take on a responsibility to care for them and ensure they are looked after. This is DSis problem, not yours or DDs! She is a CF!

Oh ffs, this isn't OP's problem to solve.
A half hour drive there, half hour drive back ... then do it all again ... OP has a life and family and commitments of her own. And have you seen the price of fuel lately?

Her sister will have to find a local young person who will happily do the job for some cash.

Would you ask a father and son to cancel their planned work shifts and plans with friends and spend 3 hours a day cat sitting their relatives cats?

OP has already explained why this just wouldn't work. And the comment about OP being contrary is pretty ridiculous.

Very good point about the cost of fuel!

Would you ask a father and son to cancel their planned work shifts and plans with friends and bring a relative’s cats for a week and take care of them?

Not your problem. I am owner of 3 cats and its solely my responsibility to ensure I have care provided and cannot expect others to inconvenience themselves.. they have their own lifes an commitments
I find it hard to believe they cannot get a cat sitter. This is not a busy time of year. Cat in a flat is a cat sitting service, I have never known them not o have availability...potential cat sitters advertise on the site
I use a cat sitter as I dont like to impose on family , friends etc

I would be amused to find out how much your sister would suggest paying your daughter. She sounds so cheeky, she’d probably pay her by saying she was lucky to have a house to herself for a week.

You’ve done your best and it’s not possible - it is not your problem so your sister is going to need to work harder or pay more to get a cat sitter sorted or the holiday is off. Don’t allow either of them to make it your issue to resolve; it’s really rude to say your daughter is selfish and to try and manipulate you.

The Op has already said no to this. She has dogs who would chase the cats which would mean confining the cats to one strange room (unhappy in extreme cats) also the scent pf cats would wind the dogs up and vice versa.
Does no one on here RTFT or at least the OP posts? and hello to anther "Be Kind" poster only this one makes up stories as well.

more to the point would this OP do it herself? because if she would she can DM the OP her details.....