Neighbour’s cats - wwyd?

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

Our neighbour has gone back to his home country for Christmas. A few weeks ago he asked me if he could give me a key as his friend would be feeding his two cats but he worried about them being lonely and maybe I could pop in. I went to pick up keys earlier this week, and it had turned into me feeding the cats/the friend popping in. Okay. It also turned out he was to be away a lot longer than I had expected, but fair enough.

He left yesterday so I went in earlier - immediately stood in a massive pile of cat poo right at the front door. It turns out one cat does this regularly, which obviously he did not tell me. I am really mad, as while I am happy to deal with litter trays, I didn’t sign up for this.

In recent months he has taken to letting the cats out in the morning where they stay all day while he is at work. We live on a quiet street (one way) but I have always felt a bit uncomfortable with him doing that, especially now the weather’s cold. (Our cat is in if we’re out, and always in overnight, which is maybe a bit over protective but that’s our preference.) But not my circus etc.

Anyway, after a terse message exchange he’s suggested I let the cats out in the morning/back in the evening - the boy toilets outside if he can which is why he has shat at the front door. I’ve brought through an extra litter tray (there are already three so now four) with a different type of litter in case he prefers that, and also put newspaper down where he pooed earlier. He’s away until 7 January so it’s a long time, and I am not sure what to do - keep cleaning up cat poo or risk letting the cats out? What if they won’t come back for me, or if one gets hurt? (He uses our vet, but has no insurance)

WWYD if you got this far? The neighbour is not a friend, like I would never have coffee with him or anything, we just chat if we see one another in the garden. I feel responsible for the cats and will of course take care of them but am also really annoyed at being put in this position when it is also my holiday! (Bringing the cats in here is not an option, our boy would move out.)

Updating to say neighbour has just messaged saying a solution would be to close them in the kitchen with litter trays (and obviously food etc). That seems a bit mean but maybe if I go through and spend an hour with them each day, giving them the run of the house? It’s a big room - we shut our boy in the kitchen at nights (as he’s a pain at 5am otherwise) and he’s fine.

Tell him to pay a cat sitter - you'll pass the keys to them - or get his friend back.

Agree, get a cat sitter. Why haven't they got a cat flap?

We actually don’t have a cat flap - our boy goes out the back door and hops up at the kitchen window to ask to come in, but he’s only out when we’re at home to slave for him.

We’re going to go back through tonight and move all their kit into the kitchen, and I have also just sent him details of a cat sitter my friend uses regularly if that doesn’t suit. MIL cat sits for us - I don’t think she would be game for it! I feel bad as they are sweet cats, and if it was a one off accident it would be no issue. Knowing he’s a serial litter tray refuser is a different matter though.

@Judystilldreamsofhorses it is so cheeky of your neighbour. I expect its the last time you'll offer to him a favour too.

Thinking about it, we had a cat growing up who didn't have a cat flap, again because there was always someone home. I'm at work all day so we need one so our cat can come and go.

The cats are secured in the kitchen with three litter trays and a load of toys. My neighbour did say he is embarrassed at least 😬. Definitely the last favour!

We’ve never had a cat flap for this boy or our previous girl. There are generally a couple of days a week when both of us are in work (and pre pandemic both of us were in every day) and the cat is stuck in from 8ish to 5ish - but sometimes he will happily sleep/potter about even if someone is here to let him out.

I am not a fan of cats anyway but I'd say you had plans to go away so he needs to sort it with someone else, you're feeling unwell/have to go away for work- any excuse you can think of basically!

I wouldn't be letting cats out that can't get back in, and it seems a bit mean to shut them in the kitchen until 7th Jan. I would grit my teeth, clean up the poo and never agree to cat sit for him again. How annoying.

It's not whether you have a cat flap, why doesn't HE have one? I'm fine with leaving my cats to their own devices for a day or two. I would get someone to drop in up to four or five days. But almost three weeks? That's a huge favour to ask of you and I'd have got a pet/house sitter to stay (TrustedHouseSitters are free fyi).
Who on earth needs three litter trays for two cats? Now four? His place must stink. My cats go outside and when kittens had one tray as confined to downstairs overnight (no 5am breakfast calls).
I think it's too late now for him to arrange a pet sitter remotely but I'd be pretty cool to him now (and I really hope he offers you some £££ for your trouble).

Really feel for you. A 'friend' of mine asked me last minute to look after her 5 cats for a long weekend. I know nothing about cats and it was very stressful. She did this another time and I didn't realise for 2 days that her partner had closed their bedroom door with one cat inside! Next time she asked I refused but said dd3(16) would be willing to do it for £5 a day ( she likes cats and normally accompanied me). She found another mug!

just updating to say that a friend of my neighbour has been going in some days, but I am mainly going in twice a day. The cats are confined to the kitchen but I stay and play with them each visit before closing them in. I know that’s not ideal but cleaning up random piles of cat shit outside litter trays is just not for me. It’s a big kitchen with a utility off it, and they have a huge cat tree, beds etc in there now.

@mondaytosunday the usual “rule” is a tray per cat plus a spare, so three for two cats. I took through another with Catsan in case the refuser preferred clay litter to the wood they have next door. (He does so I ordered more bags of that for him.)

To make it all worse I (like so many) have been struck down with this flu-y bug going around, so my Christmas holiday has been bed/cats/cancelled plans! I feel like I am coming out the other side a bit now, but it been absolutely rubbish.