Sisters Neglect Leaves Pet Hungry: AITA for Refusing Her Help Again?

A 27-year-old woman refused to trust her forgetful sister with her cat again after Whiskers ended up hungry and anxious, and honestly, the sister’s attitude made it worse.

It started with a simple promise: Sarah would pet-sit while OP was away. Last time, Sarah forgot to feed Whiskers for an entire day, then brushed it off as an apology and “it won’t happen again.

Now the family is split, and Sarah is mad that OP is treating her “like a child.”

Original Post

So I'm (27F), and I have this adorable cat named Whiskers. He's my pride and joy, and I take his care very seriously.

My sister, let's call her Sarah, offered to watch Whiskers the last time I went out of town. For background, Sarah has a tendency to be a bit forgetful, but she insisted she would take good care of him.

When I returned, I noticed Whiskers seemed hungry and anxious. Turns out Sarah forgot to feed him for a whole day!

I was furious, but she apologized and promised it wouldn't happen again. Fast forward to last weekend, I had to travel for work, and Sarah volunteered to pet-sit again.

I left detailed instructions, emphasized the feeding schedule, and even prepped Whiskers' meals. When I got back, I found out from my neighbor that Sarah only came over once a day instead of the agreed twice, and she didn't stay long.

I rushed home to find Whiskers meowing incessantly and his food bowl empty. I was beyond upset.

I confronted Sarah, and she brushed it off, saying she had other plans and thought 'Whiskers could skip a meal.' I lost it. I told her that she broke my trust and can't be relied upon to look after Whiskers.

Now Sarah is mad, saying I'm overreacting and treating her like a child. She told our family, and they are split on who's in the wrong.

So, AITA for refusing to let Sarah take care of Whiskers after she forgot to feed him last time?

Comment from u/GenuineCatLover

Comment from u/AnimalAdvocate88

Comment from u/PetMommaBear

Comment from u/FiercelyProtective_22

Comment from u/CatWhisperer_123

Also, this echoes the pet-sitting payment dispute where a friend was asked to cover cat damage.

Comment from u/WhiskersProtector

Comment from u/CarefulPetOwner99

Comment from u/AnimalLover2021

Comment from u/FelineGuardian_10

Comment from u/PetParentPride

The first disaster was bad enough, Sarah forgot to feed Whiskers for a whole day, but the second one is what really lit the fuse for OP.

After OP left meals and a strict schedule, the neighbor’s report that Sarah only visited once a day made it feel intentional, not accidental.

When OP confronted Sarah and she said Whiskers “could skip a meal,” that’s when the argument stopped being about cat care and turned into trust.

Now Sarah has told the family, and OP is stuck watching everyone pick sides on whether she should keep risking Whiskers being neglected.</p>

What are your thoughts on this situation? Share your perspective in the comments below.

The real question is whether Sarah can be trusted with a living creature when she keeps treating “the schedule” like optional homework.

Before you decide, see how one roommate’s girlfriend refusing cat care sparked an AITA fight.