Sitting with a view and super sweet Olga!
Introduction
We are a married couple, aged 37 and 41, living with our cat Olga in our charming house in Schaffhausen, a lovely small town in northern Switzerland. The town is known for its crystal-clear river, the Rhine, and its famous Rhine Falls. Schaffhausen is a quiet place that is easily accessible by public transportation. Gisela works as a researcher and lecturer in the field of social work, while Jan is a trustee. On weekends, we enjoy spending time with our cat Olga, relaxing in the garden, and, because we love camping, we are regularly looking for sitters for our cat and house. During the summer, our garden also needs care, such as watering, picking ripe fruits and vegetables, occasional weeding in the vegetable section, and cutting the grass if you stay for more than two weeks. Olga is four years old, very smart, super sweet (of course), and independent (she has a cat flap). Unfortunately, she is also a skilled hunter but loves to cuddle and play at home. We usually work remotely, so Olga is used to having someone around. She has a strong affinity for humans, so we don't want to leave her alone or have a neighbor feed her. At night, she prefers to cuddle in our bed. We are looking for responsible, quiet, and clean individuals who can take care of our house and garden and who enjoy spending time with cats. Due to our ethical beliefs, our kitchen is meat and fish-free, so you should be comfortable going without them while staying at our house. Please tell us a little about why you would like to sit for us and what your plans are during your stay. Please note that feedback before January 2023 is based on our former apartment in Bellinzona.
Show more...Home & location
The house is built as a two-family home (we live in the left part) with two floors and a basement. There are four spacious rooms (two of them can be used as home office), one bathroom, a guest toilet, and a fully equipped kitchen with an oven, steamer, dishwasher, coffee maker, and microwave. It also features a garden, a small balcony on the first floor, and last but not least, a spectacular view over the city. The basement contains a laundry machine and a dryer. The garden is beautifully divided into three parts. The smaller part is flat with grass and can be used as a relaxing area. The second part contains a few vegetable beds and a fig tree. The third part is near the entrance and just needs to be watered on hot and sunny days. It's important to note that there are some stairs to climb inside the house and a somewhat steep staircase (42 steps) outside to reach the house. The area is very quiet, despite being close to the town center. Our neighbors are mostly friendly elderly people, and Gisela's parents live next door. A garage is available for use free of charge.
Show more...Responsibilities
Olga: - Please send us a picture and a quick update about her once a day :-). - Olga has a feeding machine that provides her breakfast and lunch. You need to give her snacks and dinner, cuddle with her, and play with her. - Olga is used to having someone around, so you should stay at home more often than being out, especially in the evenings. - Olga likes to sleep in bed with us, which is also a requirement for our sitters. Therefore, you need to allow her to come into your room (sometimes she might not want to). - Olga's favorite toys are small balls. You should play with her at least twice a day. Other favorite games include sliding across the floor with a towel and catching a string. - Olga is independent, as she has her own cat flap and can go outside. Her behavior depends on the weather, season, and mood: sometimes she stays at home all day and night, and other times she enjoys being outside and only comes home for food. - Olga dislikes using a litter box and prefers to go outside for her business, so you don't need to worry about cleaning a litter box. - No medication is required. - Last but not least, Olga is a good hunter and likes to present her catches (mice - almost daily and often alive, birds - rarely and mostly dead, lizards - occasionally and always alive). We always try to rescue them and hope you can do the same. The Garden (Summer Time): - If it's not raining, the garden needs to be watered every day in the early morning or evening using the garden hose. - Pick ripe figs, tomatoes, and other vegetables. -Mow the lawn (depending on the length of your stay). - Do some weeding in the vegetable section of the garden. Indoor Plants: - If you stay for more than a week, you should water our indoor plants. Other Responsibilities: - Check and empty our mailbox. - The house must be ventilated at least once a day. - We leave the property clean and tidy and expect the same from you, so cleaning needs to be done. - Leave feedback after your stay.
Show more...Meet the pets
Olga
4 years
Sitter Reviews (10)
Homeowner Reviews (0)
None
Taking care of Olga has been a delightful experience I’d recommend to everyone. Olga is an adorable, playful, and sweet cat who enjoys playing outside but is just as happy to engage with you indoors. Olga is the perfect mix of independent and affectionate. She’s a bit of a hunter and loves to share her catches with you. Every night, she made sure to cuddle up close before falling asleep. If the weather’s nice, she’ll likely be out all day with a few stops to eat. The house is a beautiful, filled with lovely wooden details and has a wonderful energy. From the moment you arrive, you feel warmly welcomed. The house is immaculate clean and proffessionaly organised - you can easily find everything you need for cooking and cleaning. The location is perfect—close to the charming historical center, the train station, and plenty of bus stops. The neighbourhood has peaceful and friendly atmosphere and the nearby hiking trails are enjoyable, with beautiful wildflowers everywhere. Gisela and Jan are fantastic hosts, they were accommodating and assisted me super fast whenever I had questions even late in the night. Although I didn’t meet Gisela in person, she was very communicative and even left a lovely chocolate welcome gift. The detailed welcome guide with pictures was super helpful. Thank you, Gisela and Jan, for a fantastic stay—I’d love to sit for Olga again!
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We really enjoyed looking after and spending time with Olga. She is a sweet, affectionate cat, very communicative and easy to love. A big thank you, Gisela and Jan, for these few days in your comfortable home with lovely views towards the distant mountains. An oasis of peace! Highly recommended!
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Olga was the perfect cat to sit. She was sweet and easy to look after. She is an independent cat but also loves some human cuddles (and who can blame her?) 😂 Although I couldn’t meet Gisela in person, she was very kind and communicative with me throughout my whole stay. She even left me some chocolate as a welcome gift (and what a delicious chocolate it was). The welcome guide was very descriptive and told me everything I needed to know about the house and Olga. Also, the region of Schaffhausen is absolutely gorgeous and those who like history, like me, will like it even better! Thank you for having me Gisela and Jan! Would 100% love to sit again!!
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A review was not left by the sitter.
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Gisela and Jan were perfect hosts. Their instruction for the house was comprehensive and they were always a message away when I had any questions or issues. Due to sudden complication, I made a mistake of bringing my friends inside the house which was irresponsible of me, but Gisela was kind in letting me continue staying in the house for the rest of my stay. The neighbors were wonderful. I was invited to their house, having tea and exchanging stories for hours. I was also given a lot of snacks, chocolates and garden produce from Gisela and the neighbors. Olga is a very sweet cat. She certainly is a hunter and will bring her hunts to you. She always slept with me and would make sure some part of her touch me - her feet, head, etc - before she fell asleep 😂
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Gisela
