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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/patient-panther on 2025-10-23 02:56:01+00:00.
Today we had a seasonal pest control service done at our house. We had this done for the first time in the summer due to an excessive ant, spider, and wasp infestation. It was very effective and we were happy with the results. However, a lot of spiders returned throughout the summer and I've been trying to get more comfortable with the fact that our house seems to be a spider sanctuary. My main concern has been the black widows because they can be lethal to cats. My beloved cat is my child, but he's also an idiot. I'm sure he would walk right up to a black widow and let it bite him. I do understand how spiders are important for our ecosystems and they control bug populations, so I've worked on embracing them, with the exception of the black widows, which we kill at first site.
One spider (not a widow) in particular has set up camp at our back door. She's spun a web across the side that doesn't open and she's been having a feast of a time with all the bugs that fly towards the light through the glass door. She started off small, but grew quickly and kind of freaked me out for a while since she was so close to the entrance. But over time, my partner has helped me come to see her beauty. She has gorgeous orange markings and a unique body shape with two points on her back. My partner figured out that she is called a cat-faced spider, since the points look like cat ears. I'm a huge fan of cats, so this has helped me become more comfortable with her. One day, my partner referred to her as Mittens and I realized he had named her. I loved this name and I started to love this spider. I've been watching her grow all summer, and as it approaches fall we know that she will pass when winter hits after she lays her eggs.
Well, I completely forgot about Mittens today when the pest service guy came. I was busy trying to keep my dog out of the way and the thought didn't cross my mind to ask him to leave her space alone. When my partner came home and I mentioned the pest service, he asked if I remembered to keep him away from Mittens. My heart sunk and my guts churned. I told him I forgot and I felt awful. He went out to check her space and couldn't find any sign of her. He stayed very calm and understanding, but I know he's crushed. I am devastated that I let this happen to Mittens and I've crushed my partner in the process. I'm honestly dying inside and I don't know if I can ever forgive myself for this. All I can hope is that she's laid her eggs already and her spirit will carry on through her tiny spider babies next season.
TLDR I fucked up because I grew attached to a beautiful cat-faced spider this summer, then I forgot to keep our pest service guy away from her space today 😭