I knew in advanced that they’re going out and really have no problem with that, not the first…
Spoke with the owners a few months ahead, everything seemed ok and the subject was never mentioned up untill the day before the sit when I came to take the keys, they just mentioned it as an fyi that they sometimes bring mice and moved on..
Now I know that it can happen, cats hunt, I know !!
But two days in a row
A bird, which luckily I managed to save and take to the wildlife trust here, yay
But the day after they came with a dead mouse
It’s really heartbreaking to see and expirience it and I know that if they mentioned it’s something that happens regularly I would have never taken this sit
Now the question is, am I over reacting?
I will mention it happens in the review but is it legit to say it to them? To add to the listing or say upfront to the next to come or whatever?
I came to take care of 2 animals and ended up buring one and spent a full day making all I can so I won’t need to bury the other….
All animals hunt, even humans. If you are vegetarian and never eat meat or fish, and don’t like seeing this then an indoor/outdoor cat sit is not for you. Even dogs at a dog park or in their own backyard catch lizards and other small animals they can get. It’s just nature.
@ JusTal42 I see where you are coming from - I personally make a point of avoiding sits where cats have a proclivity to bring ‘gifts’. And, so, would appreciate HOs being upfront about that in the initial listing, so that I would not waste either of our time applying. I have seen listings where the HO does not mention it at all - but that a sitter has helpfully made others sitters aware in their review. Not all cats who go outdoors, from my experience, bring gifts. If there is any ambiguity, I would speak to the HO before accepting the sit. In my early sitting days, I was brought ‘gifts’ - and I hated having to deal with them, and it affected my experience on the sits. One cat even trailed in a rat - which I only discovered about two weeks later - lying behind a sofa! I stood on it, thinking it was a ‘toy’! . . . And I had already spent the run up to the discovery, thinking there was a sewage problem in the home.
I understand why it’s upsetting. I know most outdoor cats do this, but it can be very upsetting to some of us. Years ago, we had two stray kittens appear under our shed. We got them neutered and took them to the vet for immunizations but they remained outdoor cats. One of them once attacked an entire nest of baby blue jay’s, which we discovered one night as we pulled up on the driveway. The mother bird was frantically swooping down and pecking at the cat, trying to defend her babies. It broke my heart, and thought I desperately tried to save them, I was unsuccessful. I was so mad at my cat, for weeks!
Anyway, what I think is that this is definitely a lesson learned for you, and going forward if you are every sitting for another cat that goes outside make sure to ask the owner if they are hunters. If they are, you should probably decline the sit.
I get that it’s not nice, but you need to avoid sits with cats that go outside if you want to be sure not to receive such presents. Two days in a row is a lot - makes me think the cat is doing its best to welcome you!
Agree with HappyDeb that it’s worth mentioning in a review, but not to deduct stars for it.
I realize it may make you feel squeamish, but you should feel flattered. These are gifts because the cat likes you. If you scolded the cat for the bird, they probably brought you a mouse to see if you liked that better!
I know thay “cats will be cats” and its not my first, second or even 10th sit I promiss you…I received gifts in the past, and I take that into consideration but its just to much in a too short period of time and if its that way I really think they should have mention it
I’ll mention it happened in the review and of course wont take point off from the hosts
If cats go outside, there are many possible things that will happen. The cat might not come home. The cat might come home badly injured. The cat might get killed by a car, a loose dog, a wild animal, etc. The cat might bring home dead or live prey.
Personally, the last one of these is kind of a win in comparison.
It’s nice if the pet parent mentions that the cat will bring home gifts. One helpful homeowner left a handy butterfly net around. However, it’s pretty much to be expected that if I cat goes out, AND the cat likes you, the cat will bring something in.
You are over-reacting. You can mention it in your review to give other sitters a headsup. I wouldn’t ding the owner for not mentioning it as again – would have been nice – but comes with the territory of outdoor cats.
I’m sorry you have had to deal with this. My husband I have sat lots of outdoor and indoor/out door cats over the last 13 years. And only once did the cats (a pair who were playing with it) bring an animal (mouse) in the house. Luckily it wasn’t dead and I wasn’t there. My husband got the mouse out of the house. I’m so glad I didn’t have to deal with it.
Because we have sat so many cats that don’t bring us “gifts” I never think to ask ask about it.
Dealing with dead, dying, or injured animals is stressful. Yes, cats do this. But just because we know they do it doesn’t make any less unpleasant.
Mention it in your review @JusTal42 but also mention it to the owners on their return or in a handover note that it would be a good idea to add this information to their listing as not all sitters feel comfortable dealing with dead or half-alive rodents or birds.
But .. in some areas, like mine, outdoor cats can really decimate local bird populations. Where I am, outdoor cats don’t last too long though - coyotes get them.
I did a trip to the Galapogos years ago. Domestic cats are such prolific hunters they are considered an invasive species there.
I know some feel indoor only cats is a cruel thing, but…the cats live longer. They do not decimate local bird populations if indoors.
My two were rescued. They nearly died on the streets. They are so happy indoors. We once accidentally left a window screen open. They sat in front of it (per usual) but never thought about leaving. They don’t approach the front door or patio door at all. They knew life out there and they like their comfy beds, cat trees, toys, and most important regular food.
There are two sides to this argument but I am in the camp of domestic cats should stay indoors.
That being said, we had a new dishwasher delivered a few years ago. Unbeknownst to us, it came with rodent hitchhiker. We may not have ever found it once it escaped the dishwasher. But, our girl cat found it immediately. And dealt with it
She is know known as The Great Huntress in our house!
My prior cat was a stray who adopted me. She brought me presents every once in while when I lived somewhere she could go outside. Her last 8 years she was an indoor-only cat. My apartment building had a mouse problem one year due to some construction across the street. She caught a mouse, and was SO proud of herself. In fact, I was so surprised I shrieked, she dropped it, and had to catch it again. There was no living with her after that
So, we had some internal cameras up when this dishwasher (with hitchhiking rodent) was delivered. This was for us when we were home to watch how the cats were adjusting (not ever when we have sitters. We don’t even have them for the cats anymore, they are adjusted now lol).
What we saw on cameras (we were asleep): our girl cat trapped and caught the mouse. She brought it upstairs to a room where her sibling cat/brother was. She released it. They both thought it it was the best toy ever. Sorry if this is disturbing to some, but eventually I think that poor mouse just died of fright. My husband retrieved it the next day and we said some some kind words for its soul before disposal.
That’s what cats do! Hence my philosophy of indoor cats are best, unless they are in a barn
It is so weird when they bring them back STILL ALIVE, for sure. And yes, then they immediately catch them again. Cutest, sweetest little weirdos ever. Love them to death. I was never a cat person until I met my husband. Now, I want to be a crazy cat lady with 20+ of them. My husband insists we keep our limit at 2. I do listen to his sage advice on this matter.
