Cat Sitter Wanted

01-11-13, 11:54am Update: Please submit no more applications - we have some excellent and serious contenders. Thank you!

Mid-June to mid-July

We are planning a long trip in early summer and are looking for another super-duper cat sitter for four weeks, minimum, to take over a shift from someone who will be here until June 15th. So the second shift begins June 15th...

The hunt is on, and already there is intense interest! But since we have been burned once (by The Tick) and spoiled rotten twice by two amazingly overqualified catsitters, we are taking no chances.

So:

Estorbo needs tender loving care, with a crushed pill given twice daily to control his hyperthyroidism, 12 hours apart (no wiggle room), in his wet food, plus his pellets, dayeen', dayoud. Plus water in the bath when he demands it. Plus scrupulous litter-cleaning duty.

The garden also needs water. Usually we go away in winter, but with my book deadline and editing happening right now, we will travel in the growing season. Eenteresteen'.

In return for looking after our beloved cat you get to stay rent-free in beautiful Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, in a tiny one bedroom apartment, with fresh herbs and flowers right outside, a roof farm above your head, aforesaid black cat and WiFi.

Cat lovers preferred. Singles preferable to couples. Non-smokers. If you, or anyone you know is interested...?

As mentioned in our previous Want Ads in previous years (which netted the two best cat sitters in the world (John from Massachusetts! Dinahmow from Australia!), here are some details about living here:

Pro's:

- Wonderful, historic brownstone neighbourhood with interesting hoods up- and downstream of us
- good shops, food, coffee and restaurants
- Eight minute walk from Pok Pok
- Eight minute walk from the F subway at Bergen Street: 10 minute ride to Manhattan
- Ten minute walk to R at Court Street: 5 minute ride to Manhattan
- Twelve minute walk to the 4,5, A and C subways at Jay Street/Borough Hall
- One block from major bus lines
- 20 minutes on foot to the Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge
- 5 minutes on foot to the new Brooklyn Bridge Park
- flowers on all routes
- WiFi
- Gas and electricity paid
- Dishwasher
- You get to exercise your quads for free by climbing three flights of stairs
- You have a little terrace painted hot pink and a view of the beautiful Brooklyn skyline
- Nice books
- Beautiful morning light
- Quiet neighbours (so far) and a safe neighbourhood
- Coin-operated laundry in basement

Cons:

- The apartment is small. We are not kidding. It is a tiny one bedroom. You cannot swing the cat. Sorry.
- You get to exercise your quads by climbing three flights of stairs
- Daily watering of terrace pots (we're thinking or rigging irrigation for the roof)
- No microwave (this is not a con for me but may be for some)
- No TV, but you can use our Netflix account for your laptop
- Storage space will be minimal
- The building itself is scruffy

What we need:

1. A quiet person who likes and knows cats
2. A gardener or plant person highly appreciated
3. Two-three references which will be checked. Thoroughly.
4. A non-smoker. Seriously.

If you know of anyone who might fit the bill, please forward this to them, and if you are someone who fits the bill, please get in touch:

marieyviljoen   (at)   gmail (dot) com