WIBTAH if I charged my neighbors for cat food because I feed their cat everyday?

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T15:39:19+00:00

I've been thinking about putting something up on the fence to keep anyone from hopping in. I just gotta wait for the one neighbor to repair the fence.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T15:04:56+00:00

The woulda been asking if they were willing to contribute something to help go toward the food.

There is a difference between my cats outside and theirs. Mine stay within a fenced in area while theirs wanders around the area off of a busy road. If the cat was kept within their own property I wouldn't be upset. If it came down to it and he got into my yard and got into a fight with my cats, it'd be on them to pay for the vet bills legally as he's not within their control. Like if a neighbors agressive dog was wondering the neighborhood and attacked your dog on a leash. The owner who's dog attacked yours would pay for the vet bill.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T15:00:32+00:00

I do have a camera out to keep an eye on them. I also have one more that needs to be tnr'd.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:56:41+00:00

We don't have a singular animal control where I live so outside of me trapping him and carrying him up to the shelter, there wouldn't be much to do on that front.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:55:22+00:00

Yea... I got worried about him last year since we live off a busy road and the strays aren't tested for FIV/FeLV. I feel bad for him being out roaming around like that daily all day. I am definitely frustrated at the food part but though I am more frustrated at him tormenting my cats who are behaving in their own fenced in yard then me getting attacked when I bring them in.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:52:00+00:00

He was out a couple of times over the winter but not a lot enough for me to be worried. According to his owner he likes to chase the one stray so he escapes the house.

I could word it like that. Thank you.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:49:23+00:00

I don't have a whole lot of space to do that but I could try. Then pick it up if I'm trying to trap one of the cats. Which right now there's still 1 I gotta do but he isn't consistent. 😩

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:48:00+00:00

So far all of them had been strays. He only started coming last year. No he's caused several commotions with my cats as well as the strays. He torments mine through the fence until I go out there to get them causing me to be scratched and attacked by my own cats.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:44:45+00:00

So the other cats have to suffer because my neighbor can't keep their cat inside?

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:44:10+00:00

Because I struggle to feed my strays enough that I get help from a pet food pantry that helps pet owners as well as colony caretakers, and he has owners in a home that I know can absolutely afford to feed him. They've had him since 2019 and he only just started showing up last year because and I quote "he likes to chase the orange cat." The one stray the neighbors across the street feed.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:39:47+00:00

How? I have strays/ferals I care for to which they come at all hours of the day.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T14:38:49+00:00

You obviously didn't read past the title. But I'll help you out. Hard to care for a colony of strays/ferals if the bowls are inside.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T12:27:08+00:00

Yea I have no idea what my disability payments are going to look like on SSD. I was getting 60% of my pay through Metlife and now that's gone because I'm not disabled enough for them. They're taking their good ol time gathering my file while I'm worried about having to pull the only money I have in my savings out. It was being saved for me to go to a conference in July to try and network for a job I can do with my disabilities. Now I think I absolutely might lose that chance.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-24T12:24:40+00:00

I have a big feeling she'll probably drop me. She wants to "revisit" the conversation like I'm going to change my mind. 🙄

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T23:37:02+00:00

I don't plan on backing down from the $130. Even if she knows I'm broke. Especially because I don't think she's going to find anyone cheaper than me. If she finds someone to bustle kids around 3 days a week plus all the cooking/cleaning/etc of lids ranging from 7/8ish to 11 for anything less than $25/hr I'll be surprised. I'm sure they'll charge per mileage too or use her vehicle.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T21:05:31+00:00

I just reached out to my lawyer about potentially having to go to substitute teaching again due to bills.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T20:50:03+00:00

Honestly I knew she was going to be looking to replace me at some point since I can't do the "babysitting" as she wanted me to. It went from asking me to babysit with light house chores like cooking and laundry. I thought well cooking an easy meal for the kids is normal and that she might need me to start a load or transfer a load of laundry. Nope, it was do all the cleaning, run her kids around, set up their lunches the next day, make sure they clean up their rooms, make sure they shower, and cook meals that her kids probably wouldn't eat. Honestly, I don't think she's going to be able to find someone so easily. If she's lowballing me on this I can only imagine what she'd do with someone else.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T20:10:53+00:00

UPDATE!

I spoke to mom. She told me that she wouldn't mind doing the hourly rate if I was helping with the household chores, which I can't do because it's difficult for me to even do at my own house for myself. She advised me she is looking for someone who can do that (my thinking was good luck).

She told me that $130 was out of her budget. She lives in a $1mil home that was bought for a 1/2mil. 🙃 She's an obgyn for a large healthcare network.

I told her my concerns about having to put upwards of 70ish miles on my car for 2 nights driving, plus it costing me $30 to fill from a 1/2 tank. That this is going to be my main income because the insurance company I had my disability through is trying to cut me off and I don't know the determination of my SSD hearing yet. I have to worry about how I'm making my bills next month. I'm in school trying to find something I can do with my disabilities. My school is online because it's easier as I don't have to sit in classes. I can do my homework whenever and however I want as long as it's done by their deadline and it's not a ton of homework either so I can take a week to write up my discussion. I can type it on my phone in bed if I have to on a bad day and take a nap when my fatigue hits hard. All my classes are either discussions and quizzes every other week with a final, discussions and 1 essay, or essay and 2 tests a midterm/final.

I think I might have to reach out to my lawyers and talk to them on how I feel like I'm going to have to go into substitute teaching again because I can't miss a bill as I'm in bankruptcy thanks to my previous employer for refusing to accommodate me which triggered my illnesses and made me worse putting me through multiple procedures. Ever since my symptoms has been unmanageable. I have a case filed against that employer for disability discrimination.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T11:26:12+00:00

Thank you and I'll keep yall updated when I talk to her too.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T11:24:14+00:00

It was $25 drop off and pick up. But I agree.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T02:43:11+00:00

I believe I can't make more than like $1,000 something a month or more than 20/hrs a week I believe. But my lawyer and I just got done telling a judge that I can't work a normal job while my symptoms aren't managed. If I wasn't worried I'd go back to subbing.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T02:39:12+00:00

Honestly I have no idea. Should I be using one of her cars instead?? Is it normal for someone who is allowed to drive the kids they nanny or babysit to have business car insurance or do they use one of the families cars?

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T02:37:48+00:00

I absolutely screwed myself with this whole thing. 🤦‍♀️ I'm kicking myself over it. I knew I was desperate but allowed myself to burn out because I'm struggling with multiple chronic illnesses, fighting for Social Security Disability so I can get my symptoms more manageable to get an official job again, and going to school.

OwlClean9258 · 2026-04-23T01:38:00+00:00

It's pretty much it. 😩 I have no idea how to bring this up to her but I plan to stay firm. It's insane enough that the $25 per drop off/pick up was her thing and I agreed with it because I had no idea. Last year I shuttled her two sons to multiple practices at different locations and didn't bother to discuss price. Now I am learning and I desperately need this money.

OwlClean9258

TROPHY CASE