Dear Prudence,
My husband and I were asked by our neighbors a few years ago if we would check in on their elderly cat while they went on vacation. We happily agreed. They go on weeklong vacations or long-weekend trips four or five times a year, and it’s not a big deal. We get in the house through their garage (they don’t have a home security system), the cat stays indoors, and we spend 10 to 15 minutes with her a few times a day.
The last time they went on vacation, I noticed that there was an iPhone propped up against the pillows on the bed in the master bedroom. The camera was facing out and it was charging, plugged into the wall. I texted my neighbor and asked, “Is that a webcam in your bedroom?” She confirmed that it was, so I jokingly asked, “Are you concerned we’re not checking on your cat every day?” She said, “I don’t know why my husband has it set up, but it’s definitely not for you guys!” And that was it.
It feels kind of creepy and insulting. We’re not the type to go snooping through people’s things. Why do they have it set up? If they wanted it for security, wouldn’t they have the webcam set up near the outside doors? If they wanted to spy on us, they weren’t very subtle. The iPhone was out there on the bed, plain as day, but they have the webcam set up only in the area where they knew we would be every day. It’s not even to watch the cat, since she is behind closed doors and doesn’t go in that room! Do we just let this go? We’re supposed to watch their cat a few more times this summer.
—Cat Sitter on Camera