A woman on TikTok shared that her cat had been sealed into a bathroom wall by a contractor she hired to renovate her bathroom. She had the work completed while she was away on a business trip. The TikTok account @ashlinhadden posted a video of the hole she punched through the wall to free her cat.
Ashlin Hadden says that she hired a contractor to renovate her bathroom while she was traveling for business. When she returned from her trip, her cat was missing. Hadden heard faint meows coming from the bathroom area and determined that the cat was inside the wall.
In the video Hadden says “…the stupid ass contractor dry-walled my cat into the drywall, underneath the bathtub.”
You can view here TikTok video here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@ashlinhadden/video/7150025094188813611
In my opinion
This was not the fault of the contractor, but rather Hadden – for a few reasons:
- Cats should never be left to fend for themselves when their pet parents travel. It’s a fallacy that cats can “take care of themselves.” Who was feeding and cleaning the cat’s litter box while the owner was away? Cats can often get really stressed when their owner isn’t around and also when there are changes to their environment. Two major upsets for a cat. Which brings me to my next point…
- Any time there’s a change in a pet’s environment, and particularly with cats – the cat will hide. It’s really important to ensure that your cat is in a controlled/closed environment with lots of calming items, like their toys, bedding, etc. Even turning on a TV or radio to muffle noises of construction work can be helpful to lower your cat’s stress.
- Don’t leave cats unattended particularly when there’s unusual activity like construction or moving going on. This is not the fault of the contractor. The contractor was not hired to watch Ms. Hadden’s cat. It’s likely that the cat slipped in under the tub when the contractor was on a lunch break, or overnight – seeking a small, safe place to hide – or even just to explore.
What do you think? Who is at fault for the cat being sealed into the drywall? Was this the owner’s fault or the contractor’s fault?