Couple goes on vacation and expects 21-year-old pet sitter to work for free, she demands reimbursement: “Is this a generational shift?”

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Aug 5, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

We're all familiar with Karen's, entitled people, or people who make assumptions that others will help them without payment. It's a strange assumption to make, but it happens. There are those who believe that being a stay-at-home mom isn't real work, and there are those who think that pet sitting or dog walking isn't a real job. Though there isn't much necessarily to do in a tangible way besides feeding or cleaning a litter box, it doesn't mean it's not work. Anything that requires you to change your plans requires work. Sure, maybe it's just sitting in someone else's apartment watching TV while a dog sits next to you, but the point is that it's not your apartment, it's not your TV, and ultimately, it requires payment. 

The story below, is about a couple who go on vacation. The protagonist gets her younger coworker to pet sit while they're gone, but was under the assumption they wouldn't pay her. Read the full story below. 

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    AITA for not expecting to pay my cat sitter?

    "We agreed to pay $125 to keep the peace"
    via Vlada Karpovich from corelens / Canva

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

  • 02
    My husband (31M) and I (28F) recently went on a week-long vacation and asked a coworker of mine (21F) if she'd be willing to
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    look after our cat while we were away. He's an outdoor cat - very independent and low-maintenance ― and we live in a quiet, safe neighborhood where outdoor cats are common.
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963

  • The comments here are great. On the surface it may seem like a generational difference, but in reality, it's not. The commenter put it bluntly that it's not a difference in standards, it's a difference in expectations for the work that someone does. In the past anyone could get away with free labor! 

  • 04
    We told her she didn't need to stay full-time, just pop in to feed him and check on him every so often. That said, we gave her full access to our home, including a dedicated
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    work-from-home office, and told her she could stay over if she wanted. Although she lives a little far away, she still lives with her
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    parents, we figured she might enjoy a quiet week by herself. Even work approved her to stay remote for that week.
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  • 07
    Everything seemed fine — she sent us cute pictures of her snuggling with the cat, and we were grateful. But when we got back, she messaged us saying she'd asked
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    around and would like to charge us $175 for the week. We were pretty shocked. We hadn't discussed any payment beforehand and honestly
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    thought she was doing us a favor. She explained that it had disrupted some of her other plans, and she had to cover certain expenses.
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    In the end, we agreed to pay her $125 just to keep the peace, but it was an unexpected financial hit - especially since we just had a baby
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    Cheezburger Image 10538232064
    via bwp2e152007 from pixabay / Canva

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

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    and went on a budget vacation. We considered her a friend, but this definitely changed how we view the situation.
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    Our friends (who are also in their early 30s) all agree that it was unfair for her to ask for payment after the fact, and felt that the use of our home was a fair trade. But
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    when I mentioned it to my younger sister (25F), she wasn't surprised and didn't think the amount was unreasonable — especially for a full week. She agreed we should've
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    discussed payment upfront but also pointed out that it's not always fair to assume someone will give up their time without anything in
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    return. According to her, staying in someone else's house isn't necessarily a perk - people still have their own lives going on, and
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    it can be awkward or uncomfortable to live in someone else's space.
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
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    A
    via blueorangestudio / Canva

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

  • 19
    I guess we just assumed it was a friendly favor, especially since. we've had other friends and coworkers look after the cat in the past with no expectation of payment.
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
  • 20
    Is this a generational shift? Like how some people used to say "you're welcome" and now it's "no problem"? AITA for not expecting to pay her?
    via u/Hopeful-Sweet3963
  • 21
    Hudson ValleyChris Pay pet sitters. This is normal and expected. You weren't doing her a favor. You were asking a favor.
    via u/HudsonValleyChris
  • 22
    [deleted] Oh, so let me get this straight, you assumed that offering her a week in your house with a cat to feed, plans to
    via Reddit
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    rearrange, and the vague promise of solitude was somehow a luxury vacation package? And now you're
    via Reddit
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    shocked that she asked for compensation like some kind of... adult with responsibilities?
    via Reddit

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wholesome pets cute pet sitter lol funny cats couples reddit thread Reddit Cats funny animals
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