3 Cats in a Cabin in a Forest in Northern California

About this assignment

We are looking for a house sitter(s) who will take care of our cats and our home/cabin as if they were their own! The house sitter(s) must be caring, honest, and responsible.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

As a primary responsibility, the house sitter(s) will have to take very good care of our three cats, ensuring that they are well-fed, watered, played with, loved, treated medically, and taken to our local veterinarian if any of them happen to become ill. In this regard, our oldest cat has kidney problems, so he is on a special diet, and he needs sub-cutaneous fluids given twice a week. In addition, our youngest cat has a seizure disorder, so she is given oral medication twice a day in order to prevent seizures. Litter pan maintenance is also required, but we have a self-cleaning litter pan (a Litter Robot), so this is not difficult to deal with. The cats are not allowed outdoors to "free-roam", as there are predators in the forest. The cats are only allowed outside on our elevated back deck, but this is only when/if they are under human supervision. The house sitter(s) will be responsible for ensuring that the cats do not escape into the outdoors by accident.

As a secondary responsibility, the house sitter(s) will have to take good care of our home/cabin, ensuring that it is regularly cleaned, and kept in good repair as needed. The home/cabin should be treated as if it were their own. If snow happens to fall (seldom arrives until December, but occasionally snows in late November), the house sitter(s) will be responsible for ensuring that the snow is cleared from the steps to the cabin as well as from the front and rear decks of the cabin.

What are the good features of the property and location

Our home/cabin is in a beautiful/pristine location! We live in a gated community within the Stanislaus National Forest in Northern California, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains are our playground! Although our home/cabin is relatively small and quite simple, it has all of the comforts of a larger and more modern home, including a clothes washer and dryer, high-speed Internet, television, air conditioning, and a whole house generator that automatically provides electricity in the event of a power outage. There is a small lake and many hiking and biking trails within the park/gated community, and within easy driving distance, there are some larger communities/towns that have all of the key amenities, including medical facilities, pharmacies, gas stations, a movie theater, and food markets. In addition, a number of freshwater lakes and streams (for fishing), as well as other outdoor areas for hiking and downhill skiing are very close by. The summer days are warm (usually around 70F - 80F), and it seldom rains. In the fall, the temperature tends to range from 48F (as a low) to 65F (as a high). Although the cabin is small, it can actually sleep 6 people (one queen-size bed downstairs, and two king-size beds in a loft upstairs).

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

Although all amenities are within easy driving distance, the house sitter(s) needs to realize that they will not be living in a village, town, or city. They will be living within a gated community in the mountains/forest where most of the homes are second homes/summer cabins, and only a limited number of homes are occupied by full-time residents. There is a lot of wildlife in the area, including harmless animals such as deer, turkey, and squirrels, but there are also some potentially dangerous animals living in the area such as black bears and coyotes. Power-grid failures are not unusual, and this is why we have installed a whole house generator. Our cabin is below street level, and this means one has to walk down about 20 stairs to get to the main entrance to the cabin. We only have street parking, i.e., there is no parking pad or garage. Although the cabin can sleep 6 people, it is important to note that there is only one bathroom, but the bathroom has a combination shower and bathtub. Although we are looking for someone who can house sit for us from mid-July 2025 until the end of September 2025 (approximately), it would be a good idea for the house sitter(s) to arrive a day or two early so that we can teach them some things that they will need to know (e.g., how to work the whole house generator, and if necessary, how to give sub-cutaneous fluids to the older cat).

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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