Cat and House sitter.
Introduction
I retired to Alcala la Real area of Spain in 2017, and have completed a full reform of the property. I was a teacher of Physical Education in the 70’s and 80’s and enjoyed all sports, but played and umpired Hockey for many years. I then taught young people with Special needs, particularly those with emotional and behavioral needs, before finishing my career work for a local authority in London supporting Vulnerable Groups of young people in Education. I enjoy the peace and quiet of Las Caserias, doing some crafts, reading, and listening to music.
Show more...Home & location
Las Caserias is about 5 km from Alcala la Real which is a small town with a long History in the Jaen Province of Spain. The village is very quiet, with no cafe’s or shops, set amongst the Olive groves, with most of the village involved in Olive Farming. The town is about 45minutes from Granada, and 1 hour 45minutes from Cordoba. You will need transport of your own if you decide to stay here, unless you plan to bring cycles, or there is a taxi service which will come to the village, and a good bus service from Alcala la Real to Granada etc. if you don’t have a car. The Regional Airport of Granada is 45minutes from the property and Malaga Airport in about 2hours drive from the house. The House is fully reformed, up stairs there are two bedrooms, both have double beds, a lounge and new bathroom and kitchen. The lower floor has 2 bedrooms. The large bedroom downstairs has a double bed, and a double sofa bed is available in the downstairs lounge. The other two bedrooms 1 upstairs and one down have single beds. There are two bathrooms downstairs and a kitchen which is fully equipped. Outside there are various terraces and a gas BBQ. The neighbours are all Spanish and very friendly, and helpful if the need arises. The house has Wi-if and TV is available to stream live television from various countries as well as Netflix and films from an (English) DVD collection upstairs. There are wi-if boosters around the house, so there are no dead spots and wi-if can be accessed on the outside terraces. The signal is generally very good, phones are best linked to the Wi-Fi, as phone signals are weak outside the houses in the village.
Show more...Responsibilities
I have six cats, Leah who chooses to live here, whilst Blacky I have had since she was a kitten. Recently I have two cats who were left here by my neighbours Cat called Tabs and Junior. We also have Amigo who like Leah chooses to live here but can spend a lot of time away during the warm weather. There is also a cat we call Mama, small grey and black tabby who is a 2 year old who bought her two kittens here last year. Eight of them spend time in and around the house and garden. They like to be around people and Blacky and Leah are very friendly, once they get to know you. Tabs and Junior were feral when I inherited them so they generally don’t go to people. The new family don’t let anyone touch them and will run away if you try to get to close. They will need feeding in the morning and evening, and ensuring their cat litter is cleaned daily, and plenty of fresh water is available. They haven’t all learnt how to use the cat flaps to date, but can all go outside and get back in. The pool will need to have dosing tablets and anti-algae liquid checked and added, also in the summer months the garden will need watering daily.
Show more...Meet the pets
Leah
8 years
Blacky
6 years
Tabs
3 years
Amigo
5 years
Junior
3 years
Mama
2 years
Sitter Reviews (5)
Homeowner Reviews (0)
None
I have had a great stay at Penny’s house. Penny is a kind and generous host, who made her best so that I had a pleasant stay. The house is beautiful, spacious, bright, with a nice garden and terraces where you can enjoy the amazing landscapes. The cats, although numerous, are pretty easy to look after. They are independent, come and go outside as they want, thanks to catdoors. Simply be aware that they like hunting, so they may bring some « presents » (little rabbits, mice…) in the house. The neighbour, Josefa, is a very kind person who can help you if you have questions. Alcala la Real is a great historical city with a beautiful castle. From Alcala la Real, you can do day trips to see the main Andalusian cities nearby (Granada and its wonderful Alhambra, Cordoba and its amazing mosque-cathedral, for example).
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Overall, this has been a fantastic pet and house-sitting opportunity! Penny and I connected easily, communication was easy, and Penny has been extremely generous and hospitable, going above and beyond to make great things happen - she took the time to come all the way down to Málaga to pick me up and then drive all the way right back and welcomed me with a traditional roast beef chicken dish. She even took the time and patience to take me for swimming coaching! I genuinely enjoyed spending a few days with her before she left, having deep conversations and listening to her life-long wisdom and insights stemming from what sounds like a very fulfilling career. Her neighbor, even though a bit intrusive at times, is equally generous, occasionally dropping by to bring fresh cherries, sausages, meatballs, bread, melons, figs, and more—I felt very spoiled and I am sure you will too! Penny has been very kind and left me her car so I can stay mobile during her absence. There is plenty to see and do in the area—a local market with fresh produce, clothing, and pretty much everything really, local historic sites, museums, and lots of hiking trails, so a car is quite useful to get around. During my stay there were eight lovely cats to take care of, and even a few little kittens who I only got to see the day before my departure. They come, announce themselves, and go but make no mistake - they always come home hungry! ;) Lea and Blackie are the most affectionate ones and will seek every opportunity to be on or around you! The house is situated hillside offering some impressive views for you to enjoy and there is a pool to dip in for those hotter days. Please note that there is quite a bit of work required in taking care of eight cats (as of July 23) and several duties around the house, such as garden and pool maintenance, are required. So, make sure you request a written, detailed Welcome Guide that you can refer to during your stay. I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to come and take care of Penny's house and cats. Thank you so much, Penny, and all the best!
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We had great communication and interaction with Penny. She ended up not going away as planned due to Covid travel restrictions, but she was very willing and open to accommodate us in any case so as not to disrupt our own plans. In the end we ended up doing something else but we really appreciated her kindness and generosity in these uncertain times.
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A review was not left by the sitter.
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Penny was very welcoming and organised and was generous with her time. She was a great host and showed us around town and all the spots that we needed to know about before she left. The house is clean and modern and has some amazing views out the kitchen window over a valley and hills of olive trees. The neighbour was friendly too and brought around cherries off her tree and home-made salami and also gave us a lift in to town to go shopping. She didn’t speak a word of English, so Google Translate came in very handy there. Alcalá la Real has an amazing history with a double or triple walled old town and abbey with stunning views over the town and surrounding countryside. For 6 Euros you gain entry to the whole area and can wander through the ruins of the old town and see the old wine cellars and huge clay pots that stored the wine. Unfortunately, Napoleon burnt the abbey but they’ve restored it and has a great video of the history of Alcala inside the abbey..a very worthwhile visit (it has a free audio guide for that price too). We thoroughly enjoyed looking after Penny’s 3 cats, Tan, Leah and Blacky. They were easy going, affectionate and a pleasure to look after. We’d be very happy to house sit again if the opportunity arose and we were in the area. If you get the chance we highly recommend house sitting for Penny. You might even be lucky enough to have a swim in her pool, the work on it was just starting as we left.
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Penny
