Friend uses PTO days and drives 6 hours to catsit for couple for free, they throw a tantrum when she fails to deep-clean the house: "They were shocked at how I left the place"

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    AITA for not cleaning my friends' house after pet-sitting their cat for a week (for free)?

    "[He] thought I planned. to deep clean"
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    A while ago, I helped out two close friends, Steven (a good friend and former coworker) and his girlfriend Clara. We worked together for about four
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    years until I moved away 8 months ago, but we stayed in touch and I visited a few times. I also became good friends with Clara. They live in a rented house.
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    Two months ago, they adopted a stray cat. They were absolutely over the moon! Since they'd never had a cat before and I've had cats all my life, they messaged me constantly with questions.
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    They had a one-week vacation booked before adopting the cat. Clara asked if I could come stay in their home and take care of her. She said it was a
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    big ask, but I was the only person she trusted. I have a flexible work situation, and they're good friends, so I agreed.
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    I used 5 vacation days, traveled 6 hours to their city, and stayed 7 days. I took care of the cat, watered plants, and sent daily photo updates. Their fridge
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    was fully stocked, I didn't spend anything. But the week was rough. I had relationship problems, tend to overthink, and the cat went into heat and meowed nonstop (they said they'd fix her before,
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    but it didn't happen). With not much to do and the constant noise, I was really drained. Still, I got through it.
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    Cheezburger Image 10523346176
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    On day 6, I sent Steven a voice message saying I was happy to be heading home and explained how I'd clean before leaving, but some mess would remain. He replied I shouldn't worry and they'd handle it all.
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    I left the next day. Second 6 hour trip. Two hours after I got home, Steven called. Very polite, but clearly upset, he said they were shocked at how I left the place, and told me Clara could not stop crying. I was stunned. I told him I thought part of the
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    "compensation" for my help was that I didn't need to leave the place spotless. He admitted he misunderstood my message and thought I planned to deep-clean. We ended the call politely and chalked it up to miscommunication.
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    Here's what I left: 1. Empty bottles (refundable in my country) stacked on the table. 2. Trash that could rot was taken out; cardboard and other dry trash were left in one spot.
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    3. Used towels and bedsheets in a pile near the bed. 4. Some rinsed dishes in the dishwasher, 3–4 items were rinsed but not loaded.
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    Cheezburger Image 10523346688
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    No danger in reach for the cat. I've lived alone for 9 years and have always been considered tidy. But yes, I failed to consider their much higher cleaning standards. I apologized to Steven the next day for seeing only through my own lens.
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    Clara, however, sent a very harsh message: she was deeply disappointed, called me ungrateful, ended the friendship, and said I shouldn't even dare to
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    justify my behavior or apologize for anything. That message hit me hard. I lashed out in return, called her ungrateful, crazy, emotionally unstable. Childish, I know.
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    Now Clara and I are done. Things with Steven are strained. The damage is done. But I still wonder: AITA for not leaving the house spotless after cat- sitting for free?
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    Cheezburger Image 10523346432
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    justanother1014 NTA. Send Steven a bill for your travel costs, unpaid work, 7 days of house sitting and travel time home. Be sure to say "deep cleaning not included." Yes, y'all should have communicated expectations better but Clara needs a reality check.
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    Appropriate_Sky_6571 Yes I'd do this. In what universe is free cat sitting means a free deep clean?! I pay my cat sitter really well. I get upset when she completely replaces the litter box or washes cups she uses because she doesn't need to. A cat sitter's job is to take care of the cat, not clean house
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    NaomiKnows NTA you pet-sat for free, used vacation time, and traveled 12 hours round-trip leaving some laundry and recyclables isn't a betrayal, it's human. Clara's meltdown over a few dishes feels less about cleanliness and more about control.
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    secretrebel And she couldn't stop crying? Can we say drama queen?
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    afresh18 I'd hate to see what she's like when actual bad things happen if this is her response to a free pet sitter leaving a couple of bottles and laundry.
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    Ok_Rip_6434 I agree. This poor woman left her own comfortable home on her own valuable time to care for a cat in heat. They actually thought they were getting a free 'deep clean' as a bonus because she had to uproot herself to stay with their cat. She should drop both of them.
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    mahnamahna123 Clara's meltdown should also mean she lost a free pet sitter and 'the only person she trusts to look after her cat)
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    EvilFinch Maaaaybe that's also why nobody else wanted to petsit for them and the only option was OP. Like they had no other friends or family on both sides to ask? How many bridges did they already burn with their behaviour?
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    SprinklePopp @justanother1014 nailed it. If Clara wanted a cleaning service, she should've said so up front or hired one. You helped for free, used your own leave, and still got hit with guilt? That's wild.
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    hospicedoc So they asked you to come housesit their cat (for no pay) for a week so that you have to burn five vacation days and travel six hours each way, and they're disappointed that you didn't deep clean their house before you left?
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    I'm sorry, I missed exactly what you were supposed to be grateful for. NTA. And good riddance- their entitlement is off the charts.
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    anditurnedaround NTA You did the a huge favor, not one I would have ever done. Check in a cat sure.... But not fly and stay somewhere. How are you ungrateful? I'm missing something.
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    Picking up After yourself would be nice( no dishes/ trash) washing your bedding would have been polite, but not a relationship ender! After all you were doing them a really nice thing. I think they can throw sheets in the wash. Maybe you're better off without them.

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