Cat lover, world traveler, I will take good care of your home

About this sitter

Hello! I'm Caroline (age 54) Carriere, originally from Montreal, Canada. I've travelled the world and am now living in St Petersburg, FL.

I'm an outdoor person and love travelling, hiking, gardening, exploring, backpacking, camping, wilderness, and trying new things. Most of all, I love animals of all kind, but there is a special place in my heart for cats.

As a house sitter, I'm looking for interesting experiences and I love discovering new areas, people and cultures. I love to explore historic cities, as much as I love a place that has outdoors right outside the door. I have an open mind and varied interests so I'm happy to discuss!

I am an accounting professional and I work virtually.

Why they want to house sit

I have travelled extensively and I truly enjoy exploring different areas and ways of living. I recently discovered home exchanges and house sitting and I think it's a great idea to experience new places from a community instead of an hotel or airbnb. I recently went on a trip to New Zealand and we had a pet sitter taking care of our house and cat. From now on, when I travel I will use a pet sitter, it's a great experience for everyone, my cat stays home in her environment and I feel safe knowing that if there is a problem someone is there to take care of it. It was a great experience for our pet sitter who got to see all the sites and beaches around us.

Their experience

I've had pets my whole life, mostly cats. I've always had rescue pets. Piglet was abandoned by her owners in the cold winter of Chicago, she nearly died, I took her in and never looked back. 14 years later, she developed a thyroid issue, she was on medication twice per day, low appetite, I've tried all treats I could find to make her eat. She was the sweetest cat.
Eventually I adopted Fifi, a feral cat found in an alley. She was older, passed the bonding window with humans, and had spent a lot of time in quarantine at Cat Depot. Only after the adoption did I find out that she had explosive diarrhea. I got some cat probiotics and the vet put her on prescription diet, it took her body a year to recover and for her to adopt us. So I have a lot of experience going to the vet, watching for signs of not feeling well, administering meds. It takes a lot of patience, gentle care, and understanding. They have their own language and ways to communicate.
I've also been known to stop the car to pick up a turtle in the middle of the road, or to save birds entangled in strings by the beach. I love animals, it breaks my heart to see them in distress.

What can they bring to the assignment

Beside playing with your cats, taking good care of them, and keeping your house clean. I'm also handy and can fix most problems around the house. I've owned two homes and renovated them both, from small electric projects, plumbing, installing flooring, to building floor to ceiling cabinets. Your home is in good hand should something fail while you are out.

While I do not have a police check, as a TSA Pre traveler and US Green Card holder, my background is regularly being checked and monitored. No drugs, no parties, no nonsense.

I do not charge for my services. That being said, if your property requires very strenuous amount of work, that is beyond tending to the pets and watering a couple of plants, such as intensive gardening/ watering, or your pet requires hours of attention each day, making it impossible to visit the area, then a paid arrangement may be a consideration.