Cat Owner Furious Over Cousin's Poor Cat-Sitting, But Mom Insists She Apologize For Overreacting

"I'm inclined to believe she never came by"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• August 16, 2024

If they had water, cats can theoretically go one or two days without eating. But then, any duration over 24 hours warrants concern.

The longer cats go without adequate food, the weaker they become. Cats are far more likely to develop hepatic lipidosis, a serious liver disease, after going 2–7 days without meals.

If your cat hasn't eaten in a day or for more than 24 hours, it is best to see a veterinarian right away. Although a very rare day of fasting is unlikely to harm your cat, early intervention increases the chance of success and lowers the likelihood that your cat will require more extensive treatment.

You see, a cat stopping its feeding could also be a sign of a serious health issue. The OP of today's story came back from a trip (she goes on vacation every year) only to find out that her cat had not eaten all through.

OP's cousin lives within very close walking distance, so she pays the cousin to check in on her cat. The OP had to go earlier than her household this year as they had an event.

OP asked her cousin to check in on her cat and give her fresh water, but that wasn't done. The OP got home to find food bowls full and no evidence of her cat having used her box.

Read the entire story for yourself below to find out OP's next line of action.

The OP writes

The OP asked Cousin to check in on my cat and give her fresh water

OP can understand how she got accidentally shut in the living room

The OP is angry with her mother for insisting that she's in the wrong

OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the AH:

I might be the AH because I expected my cousin to report not seeing my cat and/or search until she was found. My cousin/mom say because cousin came and changed the water cousin did what she's obligated to do.

And the comments from other Redditors roll in...

OP's cousin didn't live up to their bargain

She didn't report anything unusual

Going into a physical fight

The OP left this in the comments

On my own, I'm not conflicted. I would like to verbally tear my cousin a new one and then never speak to her again. The conflict is external as my mother insists my cousin did nothing wrong by failing to either find my cat or communicate that she didn't see her.

She's worse than an AH

OP's cousin didn't communicate any concerns

OP's cousin is just feeling guilty

The OP is not in the wrong

Although cats can go without meals for a full day, they shouldn't. Redditors said that the reaction OP's mother gave was unsupportive and dismissive of her legitimate worries, as she maintained that the cousin is the victim and that the OP are at fault.

This is totally unfair and wrong, and Redditors were totally against it. The OP was declared not the AH, and you can share this story with your loved ones to get their own verdict as well.

Maryjane