Roommate dynamics are often hard enough to deal with, but when you add pets into the mix, it’s often a recipe for disaster.
Redditor throwawaymealcat is at odds with her roommate after her cats ate her roommate’s food, despite her warnings.
This tiff led the Original Poster (OP) to subReddit “Am I the A**hole” (AITA).
She asked:
“AITA for refusing to buy my roommate new meals after my cats knocked them off the counter?”
She went on to explain.
“My [23-year-old Female] roommate Rose [24-year-old Female] meal preps for her entire week of lunches and dinners.”
“She always waits till late Sunday night to do all the cooking so often she’ll leave the containers to cool on the counter overnight because it is too hot to put in the fridge right away before she goes to bed.”
“Two months ago, I moved my two cats into the apartment, now in my household, I don’t allow them on the counters, but if there is food left open, they will try to get into it.”
“I explained that she should be aware that the cats might try to eat her food or might knock it over if she leaves it out all night, but she brushed me off, saying it was fine.”
“I told her that it was only a matter of time before it happened.”
“Well, it finally happened, I woke Monday morning to the kitchen in a mess because the cats had knocked over several containers onto the floor.”
“I cleaned up and put the rest of the food that still looked fine into the fridge. Overall out of 7 lunches and 7 dinners, about half was ruined.”
“When Rose got up, I explained what happened and apologized. She flipped out on me because she can’t afford to buy more food for the week.”
“Rose demanded that I buy more food because it was my animals that caused this, but I also can’t afford to buy her more meals out of my own food budget.”
“I told her I wouldn’t be replacing anything because she was being irresponsible with her own food by leaving it out, and I had already warned her that this might happen.”
“She’s still furious with me, and some of my friends have said that I’m obligated to replace her food since it was my cats that did the damage.”
“So AITA?”
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
-
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided:
“YTA”
“Keep the cats in your room Sunday nights. They are animals. You are the human. You’re responsible.” – Sylvurphlame
“YTA. Your cats caused the problem, you are responsible for your cats, therefore you are responsible for this.”
“Also, pissing off your roommate is never a good idea. You have to live with them. You don’t want them pissed at you all the time.” – sandiercy
“Both are TA. You are indeed responsible for anything your cats damage…also, your roommate is an idiot for leaving so much food out.”
“Gross…but also irresponsible. I’d offer to pay a portion of the lost goods and remind her that if it happens again, that risk is on her, or she can move .” – ThrowRAzilla
“NTA”
“She left food out overnight in a house with cats in it. She’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.” – KronkLaSworda
“YTA – whether you warned her or not. YOUR cats did this. I can’t even believe you’re asking this.” – StatisticianFar7690
“I was ready to say otherwise based on the title, but NTA based on the post. She was warned and disregarded that warning.”
“Also, there’s a big difference between leaving something out for half an hour and your cat knocking it off the counter and leaving it all out ALL NIGHT.”
“Apart from anything else, she needs to go on a food safety course.” –
“This could go everyone sucks, but I’m going to go with NTA.”
“Cats are notoriously not trainable. OP doesn’t allow cats on counters, but I’ve had cats, and if there’s no one around, of course, they will knock anything they can off the counter for sport.”
“Leaving food unattended overnight is virtually impossible to get a cat not to be interested in investigating.”
“OP’s habit of leaving hordes of food out all night is weird and isn’t great roommate behavior, preventing OP from using the kitchen for about 12hrs.”
“OP was fine with this but warned roommate that cats and unattended food on the counter will have a predictably bad ending.”
“OP continued with the bad habit, with the predictable bad ending.”
“OP actually cleaned and salvaged food which I would not have done because the roommate is responsible for having left it unattended.”
“Now the roommate wants to be paid back but has not mentioned changing their habit, which is unsustainable.”
“OP’s roommate f*cked around and found out. Could have been worse being food poisoning.”
“OP’s roommate needs to plan better instead of making the kitchen a “no go” zone for a day.” – mencryforme5
“NTA”
“She’s being foolish. She’s cooking food for an entire week and starts by leaving it out overnight at room temperature?”
“Hello, food poisoning!”
“You don’t leave food out overnight with cats in the house – but if you’re smart, you don’t leave it out overnight at all.”
“It needs to be divided up into smaller portions, to cool more quickly, and then promptly refrigerated, with the food for later in the week perhaps being frozen.” – Jazzlike_Humor3340
“NTA, you told her it would happen. If that had not been the case you would be but if you say if you do x y will happen and then they do x and y happens that is their fault.”
“That being said, a roommate who is not pissed at you may be worth whatever the cost is depending on your budget.” – therealfreshwater
“ESH. Let me start out by saying I’m a cat person. She should’ve been more careful, but honestly you’re more TA here.”
“Leaving food on a kitchen counter is a very normal/reasonable activity (let’s assume for a minute she leaves out extra spicy food she intends to throw out the next day).”
“You brought the cats there. You changed the circumstances. As the owner of the cats, you need to make sure that they’re not consuming something potentially harmful.” – Kagipace
“NTA, while the cat’s knocked it over, the food can have bacteria growing in it after being left out all night.”
“She should plan better, I’ve mealed prepped, and the food goes in the fridge as soon as it’s able, and I don’t care what time of night it is.” – Patient_Gas_5245
“NTA. Your roommate was negligent, and your cats acted like cats after you warned her that they would do this if she left the food out. This is what I would call natural consequences.”
“Sucky situation for your roommate, but she should have stayed up until the food cooled down enough to put in the fridge, but she didn’t want to wait that long because she was tired.” – Laxlady911
“NTA”
“You warned her. Even without cats, it’s kind of rude to take up all the counter space, going to bed. Sounds like a good way to attract bugs or mice too.”
“But maybe offer to pay half once.” – Specific-Garlic-1036
“NTA. You warned her, and when you saw what happened, you cleaned up the mess and apologized for it. She made a terrible decision leaving food out in reach of two cats.”
“It doesn’t matter that they’re your cats since she had much time to figure out a solution. There was not much you could’ve done considering it was nighttime.”
“I guess you could have locked them away in a room during those nights, but why should you when the other HUMAN living there can easily do something to prevent it themself.” – Mayo_Man_is_cool
“Ehh. I’m going to go with nta on the basis that my cats would absolutely do the same thing, and they can’t really be locked up in a room for hours because they destroy flooring.”
“If it were not overnight, I would say your room would be a good temporary option while she does food prep.”
“But I don’t understand why she has to leave the food out for SO LONG.” – HabitualEnthusiast
“YTA. Why not keep the cats with you in your room overnight? Why not ensure your cats aren’t on the counters since you don’t allow it?”
“You should definitely replace her food, and you should train your cats better.” – CosmicStarchild7
“NTA”
“She has poor time management. If she KNOWS she meal preps, then maybe she shouldn’t wait until it’s time for bed to finish it.”
“I also cook in bulk for the week, and I have to put it away before I get to bed. LIKE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT. You told her it was bound to happen, and she should have listened.”
“And to a few comments….keeping cats all night in a bedroom until she wakes up is ridiculous. 2 cats. All night.”
“You’re gonna bring food, water, a litter box, and whatever else in and out of your room every week because she’s being an idiot? Nah, f**k that.”
“Also. She’s risking food poisoning. There are allotted times and temperatures for food to be “safe” being left out.”
“Nothing over a few hours, and she’s letting it sit out all night? And then putting it in the fridge? Nah.”
“Tell her it sucks to suck. You warned her. She’s an adult.” – JustCallMeVamp
These Reddit ratings are as iffy as the food left out all night.