She 'cat-sat' for free and paid for her own groceries. Then she was fired for using olive oil and eating two slices of bread

Helping someone for free is generous, but a lack of appreciation can make it all feel thankless and frustrating. A woman who goes by u/pizza_dough42 (on Reddit) house-sat and cat-sat for her mother's acquaintance for two weeks. While she agreed to do it for free, the 22-year-old at least expected a few basic supplies such as groceries at home. However, she was shocked to see the kitchen empty. Frustrated, she filled the kitchen cabinet out of her own pocket to feed herself. Despite everything, the woman stayed silent and never complained, only for the homeowner to fire her for eating only two slices of her kids' gluten-free bread. The post was shared on August 8, 2026, and it has received 4,000 upvotes online. 

A full-time favor

The author had looked after her mom's acquaintance's house and the pets earlier, but it was the first time she found the kitchen empty. "I'm talking empty shelves, no seasoning, no sugar or flour, nothing to put on bread, absolutely nothing," she wrote. On top of that, it was not just petting, feeding, or cleaning the cat's litter. The woman had to entertain the cats the entire day because they were not allowed outside the apartment. Moreover, she had to clean the house when they pooped outside the litter box, and one of them even had some issues with his hind legs. So, she had to massage his back legs and give him magnesium for it. The woman also cleaned the entire house, took out the trash, and did laundry before leaving the apartment. "This was daily hands-on care, not a 'just check in on the cats' favor," she explained. 

'Energy usage' is a 'fair trade'

However, despite doing everything to the best of her abilities, the owner was upset with the cat-sitter. She messaged the author, complaining that she used up a bottle of olive oil that had cost her $46. It was basically a birthday treat she got for herself, meant for dressing and not cooking. The author did not know it, and since there was no oil in the kitchen, she used whatever was available.

The homeowner had previously questioned the author for using the last two slices of gluten-free bread that she had saved for her kids. The author admitted her mistake, but she pointed out that she had to pull everything out of her pocket to survive. Since there was no payment involved, she said she expected her mom's acquaintance to at least cover the groceries. The homeowner responded, "I don't actually intend to give any compensation. I think the energy usage you get from staying there is already a fair trade." Moreover, she fired the young woman and said she would figure out "another option" for the cats for the future. 

Basic courtesy

Pet sitters often go out of their way to care for their clients' pets, but more often than not, they find themselves fighting for even the necessities — just as the author explained in the Reddit post. Although TrustedHousesitters listed food and drink, TV, a coffee machine, a welcome meal, tips, and a car as non-essentials for pet sitters, a working toilet, a guidebook, a clean home, pet food, pet medication, cleaning supplies, and a comfortable place to sleep as mandatory. Now, considering that the woman was doing it for free, her demand for at least basic kitchen supplies seems reasonable.  

Meanwhile, a Finder survey of 1,061 respondents found that 94% would spend money on their pet before considering other options. In fact, 23% said they can spend up to $500, while a similar share (17%) confessed they can spend between $501 and $1,000 on their pets. Considering how much pet parents are willing to spend on their furry friends, it's surprising that the homeowner in the Reddit post expected someone to care for her cats for free. 

 'She was using you'

Netizens also felt sorry for the author for being ripped off, but told her to look on the bright side because the arrangement is over. For instance, u/ArrivalFantastic4324 wrote, "'I'll figure out another option for the cats going forward.' You bet your b**ty, you will! NTA for being annoyed, and hopefully it's a never again thing now. If anyone is TA here, it's her!" u/Smitkit92 wrote, "Next time she can hire someone, the f*ck, of course NTA. But also if she has no food in the house and kids, that is actually concerning."

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