My roommate sometimes uses my dishes to feed his cats (for example, a cereal bowl with leftover milk). Even though the dishes can be washed, I’m uncomfortable hygiene-wise with mixing human dishes and pet use.
I calmly offered him several cat bowls that I have extra and asked him not to use our/my regular dishes for feeding the animals.
He got upset and said he did it to have fewer dishes to wash. He then said something like:
“Should I also wash my hands every time I touch a cat since it cleans itself with its tongue? You’re just as dirty as a cat,”
and claimed that I was treating him like he was gross.😬
I wasn’t calling him gross, I was just explaining that I’m uncomfortable with my dishes being used for pets… Was my request really unreasonable or insulting?
(Btw, They are my personal dishes that I bought myself, and he has his own set of dishes, But he still uses my dishes)
NTA
I happen to agree that there is no actual issue of hygiene here. You are not going to catch cat cooties from a dish, which has been washed after a cat used it to eat off of.
But it doesn’t matter. They are your dishes. You are allowed to set boundaries about how they are used and your roommate, who has plenty of alternatives, should respect that.
NTA. It’s common courtesy to respect a roommate’s stuff. He should be using his own dishes or the cat bowls you offered. No one’s asking him to turn into Mr. Clean, just a little consideration wouldn’t hurt.
NTA. Clearly.
NTA: They are your dishes you ask him not to use them. End of story. He should not be using them at all.
Your roommate shouldn’t be using your dishes. NTA
NTA
Your roommate is a piece of work. I love my cats but we don’t share dishes (and I have a dishwasher that sanitizes)!
They shouldn’t be using your dishes, full stop. Nor is it incumbent on you to provide dishes for their cat. Tell them to get their own damn dishes and leave yours alone.
NTA.
That is gross. Does your roommate have a cat bowl or something? If he is feeding it wet food (like Friskies for example) why can’t he feed his cat out of the can? Also, why your dishes? Why can’t he use his own dishes?
You could always say “do not use my dishes at all, for anything, since you cannot respect my perfectly reasonable request.”
“He did it to have fewer dishes to wash” He uses your dishes to eat also, not his own? Or did you leave a dirty bowl unwashed that he used? Why is he washing your dishes if he has his own. NTA.
NTA. So weird he rejects the other dishes you offer him?? It doesn’t matter if you think it’s gross or not (it does, but not for this arguments sake) but you said you didn’t want him using them and gave him reasonable substitutes, which he’s rejecting. That’s super weird.
NTA – you can go to the dollar store and buy a pack of dishes (disposable), you could literally toss them after use
NTA. The cat should have it’s own food & water dish. Send your roommate to the dollar store and buy two metal dishes clearly for pets.
NTA but just wanted to point out that yes, I do in fact wash my hands after touching my cat. He seems like the kind of guy that doesn’t wash his hands after he pees either.
NTA – yes they are dishes and get washed but it doesnt matterz wouldnt matter if HE used them. If you say no it is no