Woman Assumes Roommate Will Take Care Of Her Cat While She’s Away, In Tears After He Says No Way

Roommates are mostly fun, but sharing a home always comes with its quirks. Some folks leave their dishes in the sink, others crank up the thermostat, and then there are those who assume you’ll become their cat’s personal butler when they are away.

Suddenly, your chill living situation turns into a test of patience, cat cuddling skills, and how much fur you can tolerate. That’s exactly what happened to one Redditor who was forced to watch his roommate’s cat for 3 weeks while she was on vacation. And he wasn’t happy about it.

More info: Reddit

Some roommates leave dishes in the sink, others leave you questioning your entire life choices by week two

Fluffy cat resting on bed with person sleeping in background illustrating cat duties and roommate conflict.

Image credits: Adam Kuylenstierna / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

One man refuses to be an unpaid cat sitter when his roommate decides shared living means “shared cat custody”

Text excerpt about roommate refusing cat duties during family vacation, highlighting conflict over litter box responsibility.

Text excerpt discussing a roommate disagreeing with cat duties and landlord rules about pet agreements.

Text excerpt discussing a roommate planning a family vacation and cat litter box duties dispute.

Roommate refuses to serve as litter box servant after lady plans family vacation and dumps cat duties on them.

Woman and roommate in kitchen discussing cat duties as she plans family vacation, roommate refusing litter box responsibilities.

Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The man doesn’t like cats but his roommate loves them, so after a lot of back and forth, he agrees to allow her to get one

Text excerpt showing a person explaining confusion about being told important information before a roommate leaves on Monday.

Text message discussing refusal to take care of roommate's cat or handle litter box duties during family vacation plans.

Roommate refuses to be the litter box servant as lady plans family vacation and dumps cat duties on her.

Text discussing a roommate refusing to take on cat litter duties while another plans a family vacation.

Close-up of a distressed woman covering her mouth, reflecting frustration over cat duties and roommate conflict.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Before leaving for a 3-week vacation, the roommate gives cat-care instructions to the man, assuming he will take care of her pet

Text discussing a woman planning family vacation while roommate refuses to take on cat litter box duties.

Text showing a roommate refusing cat duties, expressing frustration about cleaning the litter box and dealing with a meowing cat.

Text message discussing plans to watch the cat once as part of family vacation and roommate duties.

Image credits: Parianusti

The man refuses to watch his roommate’s cat for 3 weeks, especially since she never asked him—just told him to

The OP’s (original poster) roommate is a true cat enthusiast. If she had her way, the apartment would probably be a mini cattery. But the OP is not a big fan of these sassy furballs, which is why he never wanted one in the house. Still, after endless pleas from his roomie, he finally gave in and allowed her to get a cat, which came with the unspoken deal that it was her pet only, not shared custody

But apparently, the roommate wasn’t in on the rule. A week before leaving for a long holiday, she casually mentioned the trip to the OP. Nothing alarming there. However, the day before she was set to leave, she sat him down and started giving him detailed cat-care instructions: food preferences, litter schedules, even the vet’s number.

The OP, totally baffled, stopped her mid-tutorial. That’s when it hit him: his roommate never asked, she just assumed he’d handle the cat like some kind of live-in sitter. And when he said no, her world practically collapsed. Tears, panic, bargaining, you name it. The OP’s roomie just assumed he would be fine with scooping poop and cuddling a needy feline at midnight.

But the OP didn’t sign up to be a cat dad. So, he suggested his roommate find a pet hotel. Her reaction? Immediate horror. Too expensive, too last-minute, and apparently not an option. So, the OP was stuck in a moral pickle. On one side, he didn’t want to deal with litter boxes and late-night mewing. On the other, his buddies kept telling him to just do it that one time.

Young woman looks worried while talking to roommate who refuses cat duties during family vacation plans at home.

Image credits: Blake Cheek / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

But to OP, this felt less about cats and more about boundaries. Because getting along with your roommate isn’t rocket science—it’s mostly rules, honesty, and some compromise. First off, talk it out: discuss chores, guests, noise, and all the little quirks that could annoy someone, and yes, even the weird sock piles.

Split responsibilities fairly, especially when pets are involved. Look, if you’ve got a pet, you feed it, end of story. Don’t hand over the litter box cleaning schedule like it’s a team sport. Be empathetic and flexible, address conflicts early before they turn into epic grudges, and always respect each other’s boundaries.

But sometimes, even with rules and talks, roommates use manipulation and pull the guilt card that makes boundaries feel impossible. Emotional manipulation is basically when someone uses feelings as a tool to get what they want. Think guilt trips, waterworks at suspiciously convenient times, or dramatic panic that turns small issues into crises.

It usually happens because the person doesn’t want to face responsibility, or they’ve learned that turning up the drama makes others cave. The trick is spotting it: are you being asked, or are you being pressured? If it feels less like a favor and more like a hostage negotiation with tears, that’s manipulation. Because if you wanted midnight meowing, and fur on your clothes, you’ d just get your own cat.

What do you think of this story? Would you take care of someone else’s pet for 3 weeks? Share your thoughts and comments below!

Netizens side with the man, saying he is not a jerk in this story as his roommate shouldn’t have assumed he would care for her cat

Discussion about a lady planning family vacation and dumping cat litter duties on roommate who refuses to comply.

Text conversation about a lady planning a family vacation and dumping cat duties on a roommate who refuses to serve as litter box servant.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about a lady dumping cat duties on her roommate who refuses to be the litter box servant.

Reddit user discusses roommate refusing cat litter box duties after lady plans family vacation.

Text conversation about a lady planning a family vacation and dumping cat duties on a roommate who refuses to care for the litter box.

Text conversation discussing reluctance to take on cat duties during a family vacation, roommate refuses litter box care.

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Reddit comments discussing a roommate refusing to take on cat litter box duties during a family vacation plan.

Comment discussing refusal to accept cat litter duties assigned by roommate planning family vacation.

Comment discussing roommate refusing cat litter box duties during a lady’s family vacation planning conflict.

Roommate refuses cat litter box duties as lady plans family vacation, causing tension over pet care responsibilities.

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Reddit comment discussing a roommate refusing cat litter box duties during a planned family vacation conflict.

Reddit comment discussing chores and refusal to take on cat litter box duties in a roommate family vacation conflict.

Commenter criticizes roommate for refusing cat duties while owner plans family vacation, highlighting litter box conflict.

Comment discussing roommate refusing cat litter box duties amid family vacation planning conflict.

Roommate refuses cat litter box duties as lady plans family vacation, highlighting conflict over pet care responsibility.

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