'She thinks it's not nearly enough': Student pawrent offers 50 euros for five days of simple cat care, but the 15-year-old who volunteered now demands more

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
Sep 18, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

This 29-year-old pawrent is prepping for a five-day trip and doing the responsible thing: finding someone to feed the floof, scoop the royal litter box, and keep the castle running. Enter friend's 15-year-old sister, who offered to catsit and seemed excited about it… until payment came up. The pawrent offered 50 euros total. About 10 euros a day for a few minutes of work plus unlimited snacks and a quiet house to hang out in. Pretty purrfect deal for a teen, right?

Apparently not. The sister thinks it's not enough and has been texting that it's unfair. Her mom sides with her, while the friend and dad say the rate is fine. The pawrent even said "no hard feelings" and offered to find someone else, but the sister didn't like tahat either because she already said yes.

Here's the real catastrophe: this was supposed to be a win-win arrangement, not a negotiation over kibble. The pawrent is trying to be fair on a student budget, not underpay a professional. If the sister doesn't want the job, there are other willing hoomans ready to serve the royal fluff.

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  • 01
    'I know at least one or two people who would do it for free’
    via dimaberlinphotos / Canva

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

  • 02
    I (23F) will be going away for 5 days in a few weeks, I have a cat. I hang out quite often at my friends place, so I know her little sister (15) decently well. When she heard I was going away she asked what I was going to do with my cat. I told her I'll ask around to find someone to take care of him, and she asked if she could. I agreed.
    via adorablecookies
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10555112192
    via SilviaJansen / Canva

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

  • 04
    She lives close by, a 10 minute walk or a few minutes by bike. I told her she can hang out at my place if she wants to get away from her parents (if she keeps it clean, of course), she can have whatever snacks or drinks I have (besides alcohol or anything I'll put away, like gifts), and I'll pay
    via adorablecookies
  • 05
    her 50 euros. I felt like this is fair, it's 10 euros a day for less than 10 minutes of work (just scooping the litterbox and giving the cat food and water). I'm a student so I don't have a big budget, plus she offered to do it. But she thinks it's not nearly enough, her mom agreed, my friend and her dad agree that it's fine.
    via adorablecookies
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10555111680
    via Tom Fisk from Pexels / Canva

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

  • 07
    It's not a huge fight or anything, but she has been annoyed and texts me that it's unfair. I told her she doesn't have to do it and I can ask someone else, but she didn't like that either because I already told her she could do it. AITA?
    via adorablecookies
  • 08
    TLDR: promised my friends sister she could catsit, offered to pay her 10 euros a day, she's upset that it's not enough. EDITED INFO: Minimum wage for 15 year olds is 4.30 euros per hour here, or 15 euros for adults. So hiring a professional would be more expensive, but I wouldn't, since I know at least one or two people who would do it for free.
    via adorablecookies
  • 09
    Hiadro NTA. You gave a price, she doesn't have to accept. Even if it is too low, that doesn't make it unfair in any way - unless she's physically coerced into catsitting anyway.
    via Hiadro
  • 10
    Leyne-Ayann NAH. Cat hotel is 12 euros per day around here so 10 euros for an acquaintance seems absolutely fine to me. She is allowed to ask for more and you're allowed to budget. Also, where is the obligatory cat pic?
    via Leyne-Ayann
  • 11
    Gareth 79 NTA. Here in the UK I pay a commercial cat-sitter £15/day for a 30 minute visit, so your pricing seems. fair.
    via Gareth79

  • What you’re offering is completely fair. Food, water, litter, snacks, and a quiet place to hang out for 10 euros a day is a great deal, especially for just a few minutes of work.

  • 12
    eventhoughitsnotr... NTA You're not paying her by the hour to sit and watch the cat like a small cat. You're paying her to stop by once a day and make sure the cat is fed and to scoop the litter box. 50 Euro for a week is plenty. If she DECIDES to stay longer and play with the
    via eventhoughitsnotreal
  • 13
    cat, then good on her. But there's no requirement for her to do anything but the bare minimum. Plus she asked about the job, she can't ask what a job pays and be upset that it pays less than she wants, she can find another job to go do.
    via eventhoughitsnotreal
  • 14
    WholeAcademic97... NTA, it's a fair price. I know people who have done the exact same for less money, including myself. Sometimes people have family members or friends do this kind of thing for free. If they carry on, causing a headache about the pay, just state you will find someone else then.
    via WholeAcademic9700
  • 15
    DesignAncient5549 NTA. She's 15 and she'll have to learn that things won't always go her way. $50 is generous for cleaning up after a cat once a day plus getting space to hangout away from home.
    via DesignAncient5549
  • 16
    EdithVinger NTA - this is totally reasonable. If she feels she's being underpaid for daily work, drop the visits to every other day but keep your 50 euro price point. This effectively raises her rate without affecting your budget. You're NTA at all, here.
    via EdithVinger
  • 17
    MissFabulina She is saying - I don't like the offered wage and then also saying - but you told me I could do it. Wha?!?!
    via MissFabulina
  • 18
    NTA - but miss 15-year old who thinks she rules the world needs to wake up. Life is unfair. But also - she does NOT have to accept your offer...then she doesn't have to deal with your "unfairness".
    via MissFabulina
  • 19
    If she volunteered to do it - I would think that she wasn't expecting to get paid at all. And you never agreed on the wage wage - so her, you told me I could do it, is moot. She never agreed to the wage that was offered. If she doesn't like the wage, she shouldn't accept the job.
    via MissFabulina

  • You can’t volunteer for a job and then complain the pay is too low. That’s not how this works. Either take the deal or let someone else scoop the litter.

  • 20
    dillydaddlerr NTA. Honestly if she's this miffed about being "underpaid" I would just find someone else. Especially if she's going to be at your place unsupervised. If she pushes back just let her know you don't have the budget to pay more.
    via dillydaddlerr
  • 21
    Also interesting that a 15yo (and her mother) valued her time so highly...like does she have an actual job that she's comparing this "salary" to? What pay does she think is fair?
    via dillydaddlerr
  • 22
    wesmorgan1 10 euros/day + food/drink, and she's in walking distance? Your offer is more than fair. NTA.
    via wesmorgan1
  • 23
    queenofthequeens NTA. It's a decent amount of money for very little work, and she ASKED for the job. She's not watching a child, she's cleaning the litter box and maybe playing with the cat for a bit. You can always go to someone else.
    via queenofthequeens

  • If she’s just popping in to feed the cat, refill water, and scoop the litter without really staying to hang out, 10 euros a day is more than enough for the effort.

  • 24
    Imnotawerewolf NTA you weren't even planning on paying for this service, since you have friends who will do it for free. So it's ridiculous that she asked you to do do this, and getting more than she's giving, and still wants more money from you. It's a no thank you, from me.
    via Imnotawerewolf

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pets advice pawrents Cats feline cat owners fight argument money
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