R/entitledparents

Entitled parent lets toddler abuse my cat because it keeps them entertained

We went out of town and had a cat sitter (not stay over, just two brief visits daily to make sure they got their food and some human interaction) while we were out since one is medically fragile. While out, the cat sitter brought their child and spouse, to hang out at our place to give their child, a toddler, a change of scenery. We were not aware that this was happening, while we were out. But when the cat sitter came by to pick up something we had gotten them as a small thank you gift (in addition to payment), the spouse and toddler had also come and immediately showed themselves in. The spouse picked up the cat and sat down with the toddler, and allowed the toddler to pull the tail, squeeze the cat's neck and  and pull at the fur on the cat's back. The cat meowed and got away (from the ADULT who had been holding the cat), and the toddler started crying for the kitty to come back. I felt awful I didn't react sooner but I was honestly kind of floored that they came in for what should just be a quick item pick up, and was also trying to make some small talk and give the item to the cat sitter.

I picked up the cat and told the cat sitter's spouse that it wasn't okay to do that to the cat, and the spouse got really demanding and defensive about how it was the only thing at our place that the toddler likes, since we don't have kids of our own or toys for kids to play with, and that the cat is young so isn't a big deal, and that the toddler loves animals and it's hard to find ways for them to stay entertained.  I reiterated that it's not okay to mistreat the animal that they were supposedly taking care of just to entertain a toddler who doesn't treat the cat gently. The spouse rolled their eyes, said I didn't understand because I wasn't a parent,  got up and stood next to me, not aggressively, just holding out their hand to take the cat back. Meanwhile the toddler is screaming and crying and wanting the kitty back.

I didn't give the cat back to the spouse but I did set the cat on a cat tower out of harm's way, and being a cat, of course, she immediately jumped down and ran over by where the toddler was, who then picked her up by the tail and swung her into the ground, and did not release the tail, the spouse had to. The cat ran back over to me and I put her in a different room. The spouse says "see, I told you it was fine. The cat likes TODDLER or else it wouldn't have come back over."

The toddler starts crying and goes to the door of the room where the cat is and tries to get the door open and is saying "kitty kitty". At this point the actual cat sitter has received their thank you gift and is ready to go, so they scoop up the toddler and head out the door, the spouse giving one last scoff before they leave as well. Time to find a new cat sitter.

Reddit: u/Peskypikachu