Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Vikki56]

I am, above all things a cat lover, this is why I have a large amount of keys belonging to other people on my door keys and why most of the local cats react in a pied piper type way when they see me walking along the street. Last week I got a phone call from a friends husband (incidentally I'd been off ill from work that day, but on seeing it was their number picked up despite still feeling a bit rubbish). He asked me if I minded looking after their two cats over the long weekend. I um-ed and ah-ed as I still wasn't feeling great (its a bit of a walk to their house and it was actually my birthday that weekend so we had other stuff planned, which I don't know if he had realized) but he said that they had probably left it too late to get them into kennels and the older of the two (who is on tablets) would much prefer staying at home. Fine. So we went round and fed them every morning & every evening. Didn't see either of them which is quite unusual but it was very hot & they are black (ours is a black moggie too & tends to just crash when it is hot). Day after my birthday a phone call, the husband again. Were the cats okay to look after? Yes I said but I didn't see either of them. This is because one of them got shut in the upstairs bedroom he said & it looks like she has been in there for a while (and it smells). At this news I become flustered thinking the poor cat, I hadn't even thought to look behind the closed door as it was closed all the time and am not one to go snooping. Anyway he went on a some length about how traumatized the cat was & how he thought it might have been his wife but now he wonders if the door accidentally swung shut. Finally asks me how my weekend was & I say it was my birthday. Oh right well I must get back to the cat (she is traumatized you know). Made me feel really rubbish, Like it was my fault she was shut in (the mere fact she was shut in made me feel awful despite the fact I was none the wiser). I'm now not sure if I want to look after them again, I mean i was doing them a favor but perhaps they are better off in Kennels. Thoughts from other cat sitters?

[bluekarin]

I would be furious if I was treated like that after looking after someones cats at such short notice I will say, when we go away, I always make sure the cats aren't in bedrooms, and I shut the doors. I check the rooms several times just to be sure.

Was his being away a last minute thing? If it was, fair enough, but if not then maybe kennels would have been best. Might have been a cost thing or maybe the cats haven't had the required jabs needed to stay in one (are kennels the same with cats as they are with dogs?)

 

If it were me, I'd be inclined to say you can't look after them again.

[Looney]

Hmph! Sounds like he is being a touch ungrateful and unfair towards you. I cat sit for my neighbour (give food/water) and wouldn't think to check around the house if I hadn't seen the cats. Unless of course the owner has asked me to! I used to house sit for another neighbour who gave me specific instructions to call for the cat if he wasn't by the back door by x o'clock (he used to hear his name and come running...eventually ), I was happy to do this but wouldn't have automatically done it unless asked. I can understand your friend's husband being upset but it isn't your fault

 

So where was the other cat? You hadn't seen that one either but it was fine. Are you supposed to go around hunting for them?

[Couperwife]

That's rubbish

 

You did them a favour, at very short notice. It's their fault that the cat was shut in, not yours.

[Vikki56]

Thanks everyone, I think it was just short notice to get into Kennels (I'm pretty sure I would have saved em a few quid as well but that I guess is by the by. I know they go to a lot of music festivals and there are a couple more coming up, but I might just say in view of what happened I'd feel uncomfortable looking after them again. Thanks everyone!

 

Vikki x

[Egluntyne]

I'd hastily arrange a previous and more pressing engagement if they ask again. Cheeky beggar.

[Olly]

I guess it depends on how well you know the people concerned - my cat-sitter is a close friend, and has carte blanche to search the house if she can't see the cats. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that if I didn't know the people very well though.

 

I think it was their responsibility to ensure the cats were not shut in before they went away. I did once go on holiday and leave one of mine shut in the garage though!

[chickencam]

We have a pet carer who comes to visit daily when we are away, she feeds and waters the hens and the cats. We leave the cats indoors so that both parties know where they are. They have access to the hall, stairs, landing study and bathroom. All other doors are closed. She comes in through the back door into the kitchen which gives her a buffer zone to stop the cats from escaping. I wouldn't go away if I didn't know where they were and I certainly wouldn't expect someone else to search for them.

 

I too would have a pressing engagement if they ask again.

[Omletina Kyckling]

He is being totally unreasonable towards you. If he thinks he can find a better cat sitter then let him and make sure you are busy in future!!!

[Alis girls]

i have to say my friend who looks after my 2 cats at home and I give her daughter a little bit of money cos she helps her mum does a good job. However in light of tail injury (see my thread on this) which we dont know when it happened I said to OH I think as both cats are getting older we will put them in the cattery in future as there is a vet on hand. I dont think you can be to blame - cats wander far and wide and i always shut off some rooms so they cant go in there. We also double check where cats are before we leave house and txt her so she knows. This year we fed them and put them out before leaving for the airport.

Out of interest - can any of the vets/vet nurses advise me on what is more traumatic to a cat - the cattery or being cared for at home but only for short intervals and your usual human being absent?