'After more arguing he finally “settled” on me paying him $80 plus the $30 expense': Cat sitting costs spark sibling showdown as brothers battle over fair fees

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
May 25, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

A soon-to-be Navy sailor is in a bit of a catastrophe over paying his little brother to care for their feline, Milo, while he's away at boot camp for 6–7 months. The brother wants a whopping $150 a month plus $30 for kitty kibble and litter, but the pawrent thinks that's a bit clawful. Since Milo mostly feeds himself with a dispenser and just needs daily brushing, litter scooping, and a monthly bath, the offer was for $50 plus $30 for expenses. The brother insists he's not kitten around. He deserves the higher pawment because paying an outsider would cost more. Even their parents sided with him, which left the pawrent feeling hissterical. After some serious negotiation, they agreed on $80 plus $30, plus OP threw in his Nintendo Switch OLED as a purrfect peace offering.

This is a classic family fur-fight where both sides are trying to scratch out a fair deal. Milo's care sounds pretty light, but time is valuable, even if it's just cleaning litter boxes. OP's final compromise shows good meowtivation and a willingness to keep the peace. Here's hoping this catastrophe ends with lots of purrs and no more hissy fits!

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  • 01
    'Milo is not hard to take care of at all'
    via By Abdel Achkouk from Pexels / Canva

    Disclaimer: This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I'm joining the Navy and going to boot camp soon. I have a 3 year old cat and was told by my parents I'll have to pay my brother to take care of his needs while I'm gone for boot camp and my A school. Which would in total ideally be about 6-7 months.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 03
    My little brother wants me to pay him $150 a month and I want to pay him $50 for himself and give him an extra $30 dollars for my cats expenses (food and litter).
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 04
    My cats food + litter only costs about $28 dollars but the bag of food I get him lasts about 2 and a half months since it's a pretty big bag. So he would not be spending the $30 all the time and I told him he could keep whatever he doesn't spend of those $30. The 2 boxes of litter I get him lasts about a month as well, as I change his whole litter every two weeks.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 05
    So every month he would get $50 and then whatever is left of the $30 I give him for my cat's expenses. He wouldn't have to spend nothing on treats since my cat has HUGE boxes of treats I gifted him for Christmas still left and plenty of toys I have been getting him the last few months.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 06
    m
    via By michellegibson / Canva

     Disclaimer: This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    The only thing he'd have to do daily is clean his litter and brush him, that's literally it. This takes me less than 20 minutes a day to do.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 08
    My cat Milo has a food dispenser that dispenses food for him throughout the day so that's not an issue. He also has a water fountain so my brother doesn't have to give him water every time. He'd only have to refill these like once a month. The only "big" responsibility he'd have is giving him a bath once a month. So to recap
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 09
    Responsibilities: • clean his litter daily • brush him daily • fill his water fountain + food dispenser whenever they get empty. (Usually once a month) • bathe him once a month Change his whole litter 2 times a month. - • cut his nails when they get too long (1-2 times a month)
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10509689600
    via By Visual Content / Canva

     Disclaimer: This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 11
    Pay: $50 plus whatever is left of the extra $30 expense which he will not be completely using (I should know I've been paying for Milo's food and litter for about as long as he's been alive)
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 12
    He wants me to pay him $150 for himself and then apart from that the $30 expense. So I'd be spending $180 a month. Which to me personally is way too much for how little he has to do.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 13
    We argued over for about an hour about this and his main point is that id be paying way more if I were to pay anyone outside of our family to take care of Milo. We brought our parents into the argument and surprisingly to me they took his side.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 14
    After more arguing he finally "settled" on me paying him $80 PLUS the $30 expense. So every month id be paying $110, which still too me is too much for how easy the things he has to do.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 15
    Most of the tasks are extremely simple and do not take long to complete. For daily tasks on average he would not have to even take 20+ min out of his day to complete them. Milo is not hard to take care of at all.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 16
    I was just tired of arguing so I told him we'll talk about it another day. Maybe I am being an a hle and should just pay him the $80 plus $30. Wanted to see some opinions?
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 17
    EDIT: I should've included this but I've taken care of his own pets before he went to live to Texas for a few months and I he offered me $50 as well. He has two parrots and a dog which is way harder to take care of than a cat. I wanted more and he said no, didn't want to argue then so I just took it. And my cat Milo loves showers he's not difficult like most cats.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 18
    EDIT EDIT: I still live with my parents and my brothers. My cat also lives with us. We're all together. It's not like my brother would take my cat to his own home. He's 17.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 19
    FINAL EDIT: hey guys after reading all your replies and taking in the feedback I understand now what I was offering him ($50 plus $30) was too little for what I was asking of him even if it was based on what I could afford and what he had charged me himself to take care of his 3 pets in the past.
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 20
    I talked to him and we came with an agreement that works for both us, we stay fixed at $80 for him and the $30 for expenses (keeping whatever he doesn't use of those 30) each month and plus he gets to keep my Nintendo switch Oled model. It was a birthday gift but oh well it works out I appreciate the comments and opinions!
    via u/PlasticSpecialist960
  • 21
    PhilomathOfLife YTA. At 20 mins per day that's 10 hours per month. 50/10 is $5 an hour. That's incredibly low for a daily inconvenience.
    via u/PhilomathOfLife

  • Fur real? That’s coming in way below meownimum wage! For all that litter duty and pawdicures, he’s definitely working for kibble. Hope that Nintendo Switch sweetened the deal just a whisker! 

  • 22
    2muchcaffeine4u YTA, you can't require someone to do something for you and then tell them they're not worth what they want to be paid, especially when he is correct that you would pay much more to someone who isn't him.
    via u/2muchcaffeine4u
  • 23
    Like, a LOT more than the $180 high price you were naming. Bathing a cat is an ENORMOUS pain and I wouldn't personally do it for less than $100 just for that alone. His request is so reasonable.
    via u/2muchcaffeine4u
  • 24
    totallyworkinghere YTA. I was on your side until you mentioned bathing the cat and trimming his nails. If I was your brother, I would charge an extra $50 per bath alone (and I have charged that for petsitting).
    via u/
  • 25
    Look up what boarding and monthly grooming your cat would cost you and realize what a tremendous deal you're getting from your brother. And buy him a real good birthday present this year.
    via u/
  • 26
    AussieBelgian $50 and whatever change per month is not enough to take care of an extra animal. You're being tight and taking advantage.
    via u/
  • 27
    QuelynD YTA. Absolute bare minimum price would be $300 a month (about $10 a day). When I went away long-term I paid $600 a month for someone to watch my cat. And that was a close friend, not a service which would have cost a lot more, so they were already doing that at a discount.
    via u/QuelynD

  • Honestly, you’re getting off pretty light. Most cat sitters would charge an entire tail and a paw for that kind of work! Sounds like your brother’s giving you the furmily rate!

  • 28
    ThatsMyCape Part of having a pet is you have expenses. This is a reasonable ask of him.
    via u/ThatsMyCape
  • 29
    Allisonfasho You're talking about less than $2/day. $50 isn't enough for a whole month. YTA. This is your pet. You want the pet to be cared for adequately, so you need to pay up. I paid $200 for someone to come to my house and sit with 2 dogs for a weekend. You can pay $150 for the month to your own brother.
    via u/Allisonfasho

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family drama pets advice argument family Cats siblings feline
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