'[She said] she will have to report me': Friend threatens her 27-year-old cat-sitter for refusing to drive 2 hours to feed her cat after her flight was unexpectedly delayed

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Jul 24, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Being a cat sitter is a difficult job. We get more and more convinced of that every single day. As a cat-sitter, you have to deal with so much. Some people, out of nowhere, may decide they don't want to pay their cat-sitters, other people demand that their cat-sitter pay thousands for a cat door in their own home that they will never use, and some people even think that it is okay to ask their cat sitter to pay for cat therapy - which is a thing, apparently - because their cat got too attached to the sitter. 

Weird things happen every day for cat-sitters. For some reason, people don't understand that is a job, like any other, and a job has its limitations. No, you don't get to demand of your cat-sitter to drive for two hours to feed your cat an extra time because your plane back got delayed for two hours. And you certainly don't get to demand it by threatening them. 

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  • 01

    "[Am I wrong] for refusing to travel an hour to feed my friend’s cat?"

    “I don't feel comfortable talking to her anymore unless she reaches out with an apology"
    via Unsplash / Mohammad Reza

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    I, 27F, recently agreed to take care of my friend's cat while she was away traveling for a few days. We're not really close friends, but she asked me because her apartment is close to my work, and I live an hour away from my office.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 03
    From last Wednesday to Saturday morning, I stayed at her place for cat sitting, and I was happy to help because it was reduced commute for me and it's not much work to take care of a cat.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 04
    She was supposed to be back Saturday night, and I left enough food for the day for the cat as I was leaving around noon.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 05
    Around 6PM as I was having dinner with friends at a restaurant back in my city, my friend called me to tell me that her flight had been cancelled, and they rebooked her flight so she will arrive Sunday noon instead of Saturday night.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 06
    She asked me if I could come back to her apartment to feed the cat, as I am the only one with the spare key to her apartment.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 07
    I told her I am in the middle of dinner and we are going to a party afterwards, nothing bad will happen to the cat if she skips a meal or two until tomorrow noon, so I can't drop everything now and travel 2 hours (back and forth) to feed the cat. I did offer, if for whatever reason her flight is further delayed, then I will come on Sunday to feed the cat.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 08
    Then she told me she can't believe I would let a poor innocent animal starve and suffer, just to be able to party and enjoy myself. She said this is animal ab e and she will have to report me.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 09
    She hung up on me, and then she sent me a series of text that switches from begging for me to go to her apartment to cursing me that I am a cruel animal ab_er.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 10
    I ignored all her messages and today I gave her key to a common friend so she can get the key back, as I don't feel comfortable talking to her anymore unless she reaches out with an apology.
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 11
    A part of me does feel bad about what happened tho, maybe she was just paranoid about her cat suffering? So what do you think.... AITA for refusing to travel an hour to feed her cat in this situation??
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10532336128
    via Unsplash / Laura Chouette

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Maybe, if this cat owner had reacted differently… if they didn't make threats, if they didn't throw around accusations, maybe we would have been inclined to tell this cat-sitter that they should have considered making the effort. But alas, this person completely lost it, and we wouldn't have gone back there either. 

  • 13
    Graceless93 Info -- What was your agreement on feeding? Did you agree that you would leave her house at noon?
    via Graceless93
  • 14
    Ok Staff4255 OP Yes the arrangement was that I would leave Saturday noon after leaving enough food/water for the day, and she returns Saturday night
    via Ok_Staff4255
  • 15
    Several-Adeptness-83 I mean yes the cat would survive but that also really s ks for them to miss a meal or two? Like it's still a living creature with a functioning stomach
    via Several-Adeptness-83
  • 16
    emliz417 If she left enough food for the rest of the day, the cat is really only missing one meal (and friend could put food out when she gets home at noon, so more late than missed). It's not ideal but the cat will be okay
    via emliz417
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10532336640
    via Unsplash / Abeer Zaki - abeerzaki

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • We understand worrying about your cat, we really do, but that is no excuse to act like a bad person, and it is certainly no excuse to make threats. You did the right thing, and the cat is going to be fine with having its meal be late by a few hours. 

  • 18
    mspolytheist Have you ever owned a cat? They don't eat like dogs. They eat when they are hungry, they sleep most of the day, and if OP left enough food to tide them over for an extra meal, I guarantee that cat wasn't going to go hungry.
    via mspolytheist
  • 19
    One of my cats once stupidly got into the front coat closet as we were leaving to go two states over to help my elderly father-in-law with cleaning his house. We didn't see her sneak in there, so we shut the door and went on our merry way. We got back FIFTEEN HOURS later, and only one cat came out for dinner (and we'd had a timer feeder go off mid-day for them). After a bunch of searching, we found her in the closet. Sleeping. Perfectly fine, and happy. Not starving! (House rule is now to have b
    via mspolytheist
  • 20
    Fresh_Caramel8148 This isn't even that you refused to 'drive an hour' to feed her cat. you were out, you were busy. You may have been drinking. No- you shouldn't have to drop all that to go feed her cat. She needs to have a better plan in place, honestly. Relying on someone who lives an hour away was never a good idea.
    via Fresh_Caramel8148

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cat drama flight interesting friends reddit story pet sitter Cats
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