I need a house sitter to love and care for my 7 kitties, feed wild birds and wildlife outdoors, water outdoor plants, and keep the cat room and rest of my home clean. The cats have their own spacious room, where they stay. They are not allowed out into the rest of the house. House is easy to keep - all tile floors. The cat room is vacuumed twice daily to keep hair and dander at a minimum using a cordless stick vacuum. I run it around the main house areas as well at least one of those times. For trips shorter than 3 weeks, I premake all wet cat food and freeze it, leaving enough for the first several days in the frig for immediate use. Currently, no one is on any medication, and all are healthy. The cat care is not daunting, despite the number. Twice a day feedings, litter box cleaning once, and room cleaning take about 45 minutes twice a day. (Chairs are easily cleaned off for seating to spend kitty lovies time. Some are friendly, will seek you out and enjoy lovies and lap time. Others are more independent. Just sitting and reading or playing music softly will be enjoyable for them.) Less time, actually, since wet food is premade. Twice a week, I use kibble to give myself a break from food prep for a contiguous meal or two. This allows me an overnight or simply a little break from routine. Any sitter is welcome to do this also, if an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon (2.5 hours), Monument Valley (4 hrs), Flagstaff hours), Sedona (50 minutes), Prescott (40 minutes), or Phoenix hours) is a choice you wish to make. I’m located in a hilly area with stunning 360 deg views. My place is 2+ acres with large fenced backyard. If you enjoy photography, sunrise and sunsets can be magnificent! The deer, javelina, and birds all add photographic possibilities, as well. House is newer, pleasant, and there are sitting areas outdoors. Please do not use the outdoor fire bowl, as it can get very windy and is dry in the Spring here. Fire danger may be quite significant. If there is rain soon, that may change the scenario. Outdoor fire bans may be in place by the time I leave. We never know...Outdoor furniture should be up close to the house when not in use. It can get windy here, particularly in thr afternoon! Wifi is available throughout house and extends outdoors a ways. That info and tv info, etc. will be discussed with the designated sitter. Also a more detailed care manual that I’ll to the designated sitter.
There are Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and Natural Grocer stores in Prescott, and Sprouts also in Prescott Valley.
There are many hiking trails all over the area with a variety of difficulty and terrain. Sharlot Hall Historical and Phippen Art Museums are in Prescott.
The garage is available to use. Please do park in garage at night! Rats love engines at night. Keep garage door closed when not going in and out to feed, water, or do other activities needing garage access.
Hummingbirds:
At least 2-3 here now. Feeder will need washing out, refilling by weekend. Nectar in glass jar lowest frig shelf. Fill feeder just under half full.
Birds:
Should only need the platform feeders filled every other day. Tube feeder by deck corner daily, if necessary, with finch food in red bag. Add water to back waterer from hose. Run it over to flush.
Deer:
One bowl each: of scratch grain, organic goat kibble in one bucket. One bucket split between each feed tub every AM around sunrise. They look for me then. Take a bucket of water out for the water tubs, then, too. Flush and refill tubs at least once every few days. Birds foul them. Use the hose when it's above freezing.
Plants:
Water containered plants in front every other day unless it rains...
House:
Please fill the humidifier reservoirs on the back of each of the two heater/humidifiers once/day. No need to adjust any settings. Water is on bottom shelf of pantry. Refill the jugs in the laundry sink using the highly filtered water faucet on the left. Dry jugs off before putting away.
Seven cats.
Add food from big storage bowl to to the stainless steel bowl to about ¾ full and warm on LO on the padded stove burner for about 20 minutes or until lukewarm. They all like it. Please don't microwave. That will kill the probiotics and other add-ins in the food. 5-6 spoons of the spoon on the towel of food per dish. Alicia, little black, brown, gray tabby, is usually on the table, waiting for her dish. Vacuum cat room and rugs outside their door twice daily. Pick up litter pieces and throw them back in the boxes, first. Use the new stick vacuum from the laundry room! It works really well on hair and takes less time. Empty the dirt receptacle every couple of days in the garage garbage. Vacuum out dirt catcher and filters before reassembly with garage shop vac. Instructions on releasing filter on unit. Use the bottled water in the jugs on the kennel for bowl and water feature. Please don’t use faucet water. Use steam vac once a week on cat room floor. Pick up hair balls, throw up with paper towels and put in “nastiest trash” can in front corner of garage.
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Please leave all outside lights that are on, ON. Don't like coming home to a dark house. They are mostly "on at dusk off at dawn". A couple of bulbs don't shut off, prob due to sensor being turned the wrong direction. The bulbs are all LED, so they don't use much juice.
Hummingbirds:
Dump, rinse thoroughly with hot water and fill about ? - 1/2 full when needed. Nectar in jars lowest door shelf in frig w/ funnel on top. Redo hummingbird food every 3-4 days if warm westher. It spoils.
Deer, birds.
Deer: Feed every AM, 2 stations, recent one front by flagpole, and new location by pine trees behind dumpster. Dump and refill one water by pines every day. The hose should reach it, making it easier when no freezing temps requiring hot water.
Birds:
All bird feed is in biggest black can. Add water to bird waterer daily. Hose in place. Run it over to flush. Bird populations will change over next few weeks as migration occurs.
TVs in master bdrm, guest, or living room: Please make sure to "Pause" then "Sleep" either device with its own remote before shutting tv off with its own remote, otherwise data is gobbled up and I go over my data cap!!!
The deer and the birds get fed around sunrise, or whenever you can. There are four black, covered trash cans over near the garage window, by the house wall. Two have goat feed, One has bird feed. One is storage. Using the ceramic bowl in the goat feed, dump a bowl full plus a bowl full of mixed grain from barrel closest to wall into a blue Lowes Bucket, for the deer every AM. Split between both feeders in spring, summer. Fill other blue bucket with warm water from laundry sink tap. Empty the water pan if not frozen solid. Fill their water pan, replace rock, and run it over to help keep it fresh.
Please keep gate to back locked unless you are here.
More Cat room:
Vacuum the cat room twice daily. Also, vac the hall rugs by their door to get any hair they caught. Now it's ready to steam vac, if you are caring for them more than five days. I do it about 1x/week. This protocol does a really good job! There are hair balls yacked up frequently, due to shedding. Clean up with paper towels, clean spot with spray cleaner and paper towels. Throw used paper towels in the open black can garage trash in corner just inside garage door.
Cat Room and Kitties
Kitties are not allowed out of cat room, and are not allowed in the guest bathroom. Shut bathroom door when emptying cat litter into toilet and again when coming out! Some of the cats still try to go in there! Litter boxes: pick in place onto tripled paper towel, or if you prefer, a Scoop is in bathroom trash can. There are also latex gloves, if you prefer, in middle cabinet with spray bottles of cleaner and water, paper towels and toilet paper, catnip spray. Keep cabinet secured! Use multiple folded toilet paper to pick out boxes, because it can safely flushed! Scoop into the plastic lined trashcan. Use whichever pick up method suits you best. Please do not ever flush paper towels! Next, I use a doubled paper towel to gather the used wads of paper towels used to clean the tables down with cleaner after doing the boxes, then take the big wad out to the garage to the black trash can to the right of the overhead garage door. Use that garbage can for anything that does, or can, smell! Empty litter pickings into toilet and flush after each box picked, so the toilet does not get overloaded and back up. Allow to sit a couple minutes to let things soak up water and soften. Double flush the toilet and run water in the sink at each dump. If a back up happens, plunger is under the guest bathroom sink. Usually not. Worst case: a twisted pair of rubber coated wires under the sink usually work to unclog. Just wash off in sink allow to dry there. There is also a snake in the garage to the right of the door from the laundry room by the folded kennels. Pick litter pieces up off the floor and throw back into boxes. Make sure cat room screen door to hall is securely shut all times. Lock when leaving room. Litter boxes should hold. Key is to tilt them back and forth to mix damp and dry litter. It dries some and lasts longer.
Feed 7 dishes of food. As long as they get it twice per day at least 8 hours, but not more than 13 apart. Use only metal or plastic dishes on tables!! Ceramic ones slide, get knocked off and broken easily. Use the larger dishes on the floor, no matter what they're made of. It's always shedding season, so please pick up any clumps of hair noticed while doing tables. Less for the vacuum. The vacuum/steam mop in the bathroom corner by tub is the most invaluable tool I've ever had to really clean floors well in a cat habitat! If using, do after regular vacuuming. Fill reservoir on back of unit with bottled water. Use only bottled water in steam mop/vac. Plug unit into closest plug in cat room near bathroom door. Wait until steam ready light stops flashing, then select "HI", hold trigger in handle, wait about 45 seconds, then turn on vacuum. Hold trigger in handle to keep steam going. I hold it continuously while using. Steam lasts long enough to do hallway rugs, bathroom and cat room with a little left over. Go around the room thoroughly to get all hair on floor, then back yourself toward the bathroom so you get all your footprints. The cats have the cleanest room in the house! It helps the rest of the house stay clean. No hair outside cat room! ??
Kitties are not allowed out into their outdoor area yet. I'm still working on things in there.
Laundry room:
Small trash can is for non-meat, non-greasy food compostable trash. Teabags, orange peels, coffee grounds, etc.
Larger can in corner for anything possibly recyclable, except #1, #2, or aluminum. I save aluminum to sell back, but separate steel, #1 and #2 plastics for the trash people who recycle those items. Wash all cans and containers so there is no odor.
Kitchen.
Trash can under sink is for real trash - used paper towels, but nothing very smelly. That nasty stuff goes in black garage trash can in the corner near the garage bay door.
Do not leave any doors open at night when leaving/going to bed. Scorpions and spiders. Do not open windows, anytime.
Help yourself to any food/beverages in frig or cabinets!! There are teas and coffee in cabinet above coffee maker. Please use only bottled water in coffeemaker. Text me if you need coffee/tea making directions. There are clean towels for your use by master shower door. Please use master bath for shower. Bed linens fresh in both rooms.
Don't bring anyone else here. It would be a lability issue for me, and I do not want anyone here I don't know/haven't met, unless there is some sort of emergency. Thanks!