Hi all,
I’m looking for a reality check from experienced sitters.
I’m in the final five days of a five-week sit, and I’m wondering what you would do in my position.
I had concerns from the day I arrived. The condition of the home—and even the condition of the cat—was very different from what was presented in the listing and by the homeowner. The carpets were heavily stained, the house was not very clean, and the smell of cat urine was so strong that it made me nauseous.
Rather than leaving the sit, I worked with the homeowner to improve the situation. She agreed to pay for carpet cleaning and a deep cleaning of the areas I would be using, which helped, although the odor never fully went away. Had I known the true condition of the home and animal before accepting the sit, I never would have agreed to it.
The cat I’m caring for is 21 years old and had extensive matting when I arrived. I’ve been brushing her daily to make her more comfortable. Over the past week, I’ve started getting bites around my ankles, the cat has been scratching more than when I arrived, and I’ve now seen multiple fleas inside the house and on my lower legs, primarily in the kitchen where the cat spends most of her time.
I let the homeowner know, but she suggested the bites were probably from “sand fleas” outside and recommended putting out apple cider vinegar, despite me seeing actual fleas indoors.
My concern now isn’t just getting through the final five days—it’s also accidentally bringing fleas or eggs to my next destination, where there are three pets.
I’m curious how other experienced sitters would handle this. I know there are only five days left, but treating both the cat and the home for fleas seems like a significant undertaking at this point.
Would you finish the sit as planned, ask the homeowner to arrange treatment immediately, or contact THS support? At what point would you consider a sit no longer reasonably habitable?
