Hang in Uptown Minneapolis with 2 Sweet Rescue Kitties

Introduction

Hello! I'm a Minneapolis resident and mom to 2 rescue cats, Tomatillo and Finnigan. I work in marketing, and travel for work a couple of times a year. My 1 bedroom home is a 1100 ft. space in a duplex, with a shared yard, and 2 private entryways. Having an experienced cat sitter who's compassionate towards animals gives me lots of peace of mind when I'm away. They are my babies, and are used to getting a lot of attention, pets, and dialogue, so someone who is good with cats and knows how to cohabitate with them would be wonderful. My cats are semi hypoallergenic. Tomatillo is 2.5 years old, and was found in an AC unit on a farm in Colorado. He is pretty independent, loves to be talked at, loves food and may want to cuddle in the early morning and at night. He lives indoors + outdoors, is street savvy, and occasionally hunts and eats his prey. He has been trained by me to cross roads, and knows where his home is. He loves being outside, hanging out in the community garden, and yard. He has all his vaccines and is Air Tagged, so you’ll need to be an iPhone user to track him. Please note that the sitter needs to be okay to clean up remains of an animal if he does bring a mouse or bird inside. I can direct you and I have the cleaning supplies for it. Finnigan is a gentle, social indoor cat, who loves be by your side. He is a 1.5 years and still is a baby. He often wants to play chase with you and likes his wand toys. He will be happy if you can accompany him for a “walk” in the yard every morning and evening. He’s a social eater which means he wants you to accompany him and pet him when he eats. The house will be yours to call home - it is an urban, cozy space with hardwood floors that creak and natural light. I look forward to connecting if you are interested in visiting the cities for awhile.

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Home & location

The place is on the first floor of a duplex home with 2 private entrances in the walkable Uptown area. It's got great natural light and is surrounded by lovely greenery and has a fenced in yard. The two blue pine trees out in front provide some privacy. You can have morning coffee and evening hangs outside with the cats. Sometimes they like to sleep underneath the house and Tomatillo may do that for long periods during the day. Laundry is available in the basement of the apartment. Please wash sheets and covers on cold or warm and a gentler setting, low heat when drying. There is a drying rack in the closet. The cats are not allowed to roam in the basement as there are poisons in traps. Please keep in mind to transfer-/remove laundry as soon as it’s done since the neighbors also use the space. You will have some space in the closet and drawers to make yourself at home when I am away. Feel free to arrange the furniture to your liking and put it back before you leave. In terms of entertainment, there are multiple events happening in the city every week. There are amazing breweries, cafes, parks, restaurants, shows, and performances going on in walking distance! Public transportation is widely available if you don't have a car. And Uber and Lyft are popular here as well. There's Wifi (Tom and Finn) so you can work from home if needed. The neighborhood is safe but please keep an eye out as this is an urban city. I do open up the kitchen window as the backyard is fenced in, so the cats have free reign. They sometimes do leave the yard for the night but should either be in the community garden or the tacos restaurant. They have AirTags that track their location, and they have been trained to be cautious and know how to cross roads. Feel free to cook as much as you'd like and use what you need and perishing. If food is going bad or expired in the fridge, please discard or use it.

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Responsibilities

Pet Tasks include: Feeding the cats 1/2 can of wet food at breakfast and dinner both cats. Finnigan should only get 1-2 spoonfuls of wet food because he has a very sensitive stomach. In a bowl, add warm water from the kettle, with a 1.5 ratio of water to wet food and mash up. Tomatillo should have most of it, so I warm it up when he is around, and divide it up for both of them. They usually get fed on demand. Heat up the wet food by adding boiled water to it and. All bowls should be washed regularly including water and dry food bowls. Keep the dry food dispenser filled with at least 2 types of dry food, layered or mixed up. It dispenses 4 times a day. Once in the AM, once for lunch, one at dinner and one in the later evening. If there is too much food leftover, you can unplug the machine to stop it. But remember plug it back in. To dispense food, press and hold down the lock icon all the way on the left side until you hear a beep. Then press the second icon of the bowl to dispense once, press again to dispense twice. Finnigan is the finicky eater with some type of food allergies that we aren't sure of. He will sometimes want you to accompany him for his meals. This is a great time to brush him gently. At each meal, supplement 5 pieces of the raw dry chunks. Add tap or filtered water to their bowls (they drink a lot) and replace any dirty water. Litter boxes get scooped once a day. If Finnigan wipes his butt on the carpet, that means he has diarrhea and will need a clean. If you don't see poop, that means he's having a hard time and, should check if his butt is clean. If so, you'll need to flip him over and take the black scissors to trim the wet parts off. He doesn't like this, so be firm yet gentle. It helps if you can wrap him up like a burrito and do it sitting down. Walk/saunter/hangout with the cats in the backyard, front yard and alleyway in the AM or evening, 15 minutes or so. They love this time together and can stay out for hours. I collect Finnigan either before bedtime or in the early morning. He is usually wandering around the house because he hasn’t found out how to get back in the yard. Play time w/ Finnigan using the wand toy to mimic a snake and bird, mouse (prey), roll pecans across the kitchen for him to chase, or play tag with him around the house. He loves to chase and be chased. Tomatillo will sometimes join, but not often. You can also throw his raw dry food across the floor for him to chase. Finnigan needs to be brushed every other day, about 15-20 times to brush out his hair. He does not need his belly brushed as much as his back and thighs. If you can brush Tomatillo, you’re doing the impossible. Provide verbal affirmation, pets, and cuddles to both. Tomatillo likes cuddles in the early morning and making biscuits on you, when he's sleeping, or he will jump on the sofa when you’re sitting. Beware of Finn's tendency to claw at you by accident when he plays. Don't use your hands as a toy. Always use toys when playing with him, and you'll be okay! As they are indoor and outdoor cats, sometimes they bring in animals. If they are alive, I try to let them back out. Tomatillo will eat the prey he catches, especially if he brings them in the middle of the night. Finnigan has quick instincts but he does not consume the animals. You need to be okay with the cleanup part of this. I can provide more tips and guidance if needed, as I understand it's not easy for everyone to do this. There are plenty of cleaning supplies and gloves. Cat nip can be a given to the cats once a day. It’s in the top left drawer on the island. Scoop 1/4 teaspoon for each on the floor at night. It's pretty entertaining to watch them roll around. Water the plants once every 3-4 days, depending on the weather. You’ll need some basic knowledge of plants and know which plants need more or less water. I use filtered water because plants don’t like chlorine but it’s up to you. Mop the floor using a vinegar and water solution. Vacuuming is best done once every other day in the living and kitchen areas. I just bought a new carpet cleaner machine - you are free to use it if there is a stain! Check the front porch for packages and deliveries. I have had a package ripped open. Laundry detergent sheets are under the kitchen counter. Tear the sheet in half for medium loads. Over use of sheets causes clothing to be less clean.

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Meet the pets

Photo of Tomatillo

Tomatillo

3 years

Photo of Finnigan

Finnigan

2 years

Sitter Reviews (13)

Homeowner Reviews (1)

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We had an opportunity to spend an enjoyable week taking care of Christy’s home and her two cats, Tomatillo and Finnigan. All interaction with Christy was pleasant and satisfying. She gave clear initial instructions in a friendly and responsive way. On matters of logistics, she was as eager to accommodate us as we were to accommodate her. And we never had a communication with Christy that did not end with her thanking us for taking care of her home and pets. Christy’s home is only 600 sq. ft., but it feels larger due to the ceiling heights and natural light. We found more than enough room for ourselves and two cats to be comfortable. Christy’s home is near downtown Minneapolis, which is a marvelous city for its parks, restaurants, music venues, theaters, and other attractions. In this location, we expected noise, but it was remarkably quiet. Not once were we startled or irritated by noise. We also felt safe – neighbors and passers-by were friendly. Tomatillo and Finnigan were easy to get along with. They were free to go outside and come back in through a small pet door. When they went outside, they did not go far or be gone for long. To our surprise, they both spent most of their time in their home with us. When they weren’t napping, Tomatillo wanted affection, and Finnigan was ready to play. We had no difficulties caring for Tomatillo and Finnigan. They ate somewhat inconsistently, but they both ate plenty; and they are clean cats that behave well. We enjoyed our housesitting experience with Christy, Tomatillo, and Finnigan. We would do it again, and we recommend Christy and her cats to other housesitters.

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Stayed: 08 May 2023 - 14 May 2023
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A review was not left by the sitter.

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Stayed: 16 Mar 2023 - 26 Mar 2023
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Stayed: 03 Sep 2021 - 05 Sep 2021
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Christy

Kali took good care of Toma and Finn for a week while I visited family. I appreciated the communication and updates from her about my cats, which gave me peace of mind about the whole sit. Finn is a Siberian and a big people person, which Kali was attentive to and gave him the love and affection he wanted. Both cats seemed calm and happy when I returned, and the house was very clean! I’d love to have her back as a sitter for my next travels.

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Organised
Reliable
Clean and tidy
Self-sufficient
Pet care
Minneapolis · -
Christy
Last time sitter needed: 5 months 15 days ago