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
A review was not left by the sitter.
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My experience in Bellinzona at Gisela and Jan's was the best so far. The reason is quite simple (but not so easy to find): they are awesome and you can tell about it in every inch of their house, in the personality of Olga, their cat, in which things they find important, in the kind of vacations they have...everything. Said that, I would add that taking care and connecting with Olga is an experience I wish for everybody. She is an easy-going, adorable, playful and sweet cat. She likes to play outside but accepts happily playing with you if you look for it. She likes to start the day early and is happy to cuddle at night. She in not demanding but likes to tell you what she has done while away and is happy to find someone at home. But if the day is beautiful she probably would be outside all day with some stops to eat (with an automatic feeder). The house is beautiful full of loving details, and the energy is amazing. You feel very welcomed from the beginning. And Gisela and Jan are very well prepared to receive you with all the information you could need there. The placement of the house is perfect, near to the historical center (which is lovely!) And also near the train station and many bus stops. There is a supermarket in walking distance, and every Tuesday and Saturday you can find a lovely market at the center. In Bellinzona there are 3 very beautiful castles and it is very close to other villages and places worth going to. I fully recommend this sitting and meeting Olga, Gisela and Jan, who I actually consider my friends ? Thank you for this amazing experience! I wish meeting again someday! ?
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Amazing cat sitting experience! We had an absolutely fantastic time with cat Olga in Bellinzona and also with Gisela and Jan who entrusted Olga to us. Although we didn't know each other beforehand it felt like meeting friends when we arrived. Also communication prior to our sit was always clear, warm and friendly. The two are easy-going and prepared us with all the important information. Olga was so fun to care for. She is an independent cat (using the cat flap), a slight little bit reserved in the beginning but already on day two she had the heart to sleep in our bed. She loves to cuddle and joined us when we stayed on the spacious balcony and called out her name. The location of the apartment is just perfect: in walking distance from the centre and train station as well as supermarkets. It is in a quiet neighbourhood and well equipped with everything you would need during a successful stay. We wouldn't hesitate a second to recommend this sit and would be delighted to come again!
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What a great sitting! I highly recommend. 1. The host, Gisela and Jan are so sweet and cool. They clearly explained what to do during the stay. Also they made a manual paper of house facilities, so I didn’t have any problems. 2. The house is absolutely fantastic! It’s spacious, well-organized, super clean and sunny. There are working desks with comfortable chair. Good for the people who is working at home. Supermarket, tourist attractions and city center are within short walking distance. 3. The cat, Olga is independent but super friendly and charm. She’s indoor as well as outdoor cat. She mostly stayed outside during the day, and I could track her by airtag where she is. She doesn’t use litter box (because she goes outside) and there’s automatic feeding machine. Super easy to handle. She loves taking a rest on my leg and I loved it! +This was my very first sitting. I’m so thankful for Gisela and Jan to give a chance. Olga gave me lots of love and I won’t forget her.
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Gisela and Jan were very warm welcoming for our stay, with the star of the visit being of course their gorgeous kitty Olga. It was the perfect weekend visit for us to combine exploring Bellinzona with cat sitting Olga, with everything clear and explained well for us to stay and relax at their home. Olga is the cutest, who would come home through her cat flap and give us the best of cuddles one could wish for. She is a very easy and lovable cat that we are glad to have met and one day may meet again! Thanks so much!
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Gisela
