My Rural Greek Cat sit-pollés gátes ?!

About this assignment

I am looking for someone responsible, flexible, honest, compassionate and EXPERIENCED (please!) in animal care, with lots of energy who thinks he/she , maybe with a partner, would be happy to stay in a rural village at the south-western side of the island of Lesvos, Greece for 10 days or so with a tribe of cats to keep, around December time.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

I have a considerable number of cats as do many homes in the village due to the high cat population. I have 10 young kittens at the moment , the last ones born in September of this year: 3 found abandoned at one of my local stray cat feeding stations. I keep the youngest and most vulnerable indoors during the day and a few more are brought in at night. The other cats do what they like and sleep in another part of the house, outdoors in the yard, or further afield.
Just a quick note about windows and doors: the windows in one bedroom need to be closed as youngsters can sometimes be adventurous and jump up onto the mosquito netting, which may wind up as they are blind)s if pushed! Also, one of the outer doors is a bit faulty and must be locked with the key which is in the lock.
Everyone needs feeding twice a day, the 3 litter/toilets indoors are sifted and emptied of cat doings as often as you can into organic bags, disposed of in the town rubbish carts nearby. There is a 4th in the yard. The water bowls indoors and out need cleaning and replenishing every day day using filtered water from the tap or yard tap. There is a hose to water the 2 trees: mandarin and lemon, as well as the sapling avocadoes, jasmine and a few leafy vegs like spinach.. There are a couple of extra neighbourhood cats that hang around at food time hoping for a meal, ( now numbering between 8 and 10 as my neighbour recently moved and had to leave about 5 of hers as she had no space in her new home.)
All food is given in bowls, and I try to ensure everyone gets something. Bowls are washed after each meal as flies can be an issue., there are 25 bowls at the moment. Kittens have the 1st sitting, followed by residents and after that, visitors. The cats have all been rescued from living a homeless life, or found due to illness and having recovered, have stayed, or have been brought as tiny kittens with no mother and raised by me. Fostering isn't very common here on the island. I have support from a cat charity that has helped subsidize and pay for medication and veterinary treatment. I also volunteer to feed the local stray cat population in my area.

The yard gate is kept closed to help keep the younger cats stay safe and I encourage them to keep near the house. I am trying to get extra fencing put up by the landlord. Dangers beyond the house include cars - there is a car park next to the house, scorpions - 2 found dead this year - and pine martens, though they usually only try to take very young kittens.

I have not had very good luck with previous sitters over the past few years, mainly because they had little or no previous experience with so many animals! I really need people who are cat lovers, have an intuitive feel for animals and can keep them safe and well with the experience they bring from other sits. I am looking for someone who has the time and energy to devote to these guys whilst I am away over December to visit my sick mum. Dates are flexible as they depend on cheap flights and pet sitter availability. Sitters are welcome to stay before and after my visit to enjoy the area more freely. I prefer those who are not actually working whilst they are sitting. It is challenge, especially with laundry and cleaning to do on a daily basis. If you are allergic to cleaning, this job isn't for you. If you love cats and can cope with the demand of caring for so many for a week or so, I would love to hear from you.

What are the good features of the property and location

I live in a spacious house with 2 floors with a large terrace and yard. There is Wi-Fi and a large screen TV you can plug your internet device into. Apart from a large kitchen on the ground floor, looking out onto the yard, there is a fair- sized bathroom with huge shower and a washing machine. There is a modest lounge and also an office / 3rd bedroom. The 2 other bedrooms are up a flight of stairs, on opposite sides of a larger- than-average landing area.
The village square is only 2 minutes on foot. All amenities are to be found here: the post office, ATM, dentist, baker's, butcher's, greengrocer's, minimarkets and restaurants. The beach village- Skala Eresou- is 4km down the hill with all its shops and restaurants, the marina and, of course, long sandy beach!. The nearest town with large supermarkets and veterinary help is an hour's drive in Kalloni.

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

Please think about how well you could take on a large group of cats. At this stage of their lives, most are sterilized, vaccinated and independent. The youngest are around 3 months and need to stay indoors, I bring in 5 of the youngest kittens into my part of house at night for a stress free sleep and cuddles!
There is a cat flap so the others can come and go as they please into the kitchen area which has an adjoining internal door so easy to manage. There are a number of neighbours to contact who can help out in case needed. I have the number of a vet to text for advice, and my landlord is very prompt and can arrive within minutes if any maintenance issues arise.
How confident are you that you can ensure each cat gets food daily and could you check a list of photos and see who turns up at meal times? Are you someone who has lots of energy and is pretty vigilant? Cleaning and laundry is a big job to get done, emptying cat litters, etc
You can close the bedroom door and sleep cat -free, or sleep with the door open but the windows need to be closed as kittens like to climb and jump!
Leisure time is between breakfast and dinner and could be spent visiting the beach village by hire bicycle, hire scooter or car/ taxi, even walking - 50 minutes! - ish, chilling on the beach, walking in the hills, visiting various restaurants to try out their fare. Or just enjoying the peaceful hill village square and lanes. It is a quiet village. In winter there isn't much going on and only one restaurant in the village square stays open. The temperatures drop but I have mobile oil-heaters for keeping the house warm and piles of blankets for the fur family too!!

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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