I'm looking for one person or a couple to care for my cat Toiyabe (Toiya) while I'm away. The individual would also be responsible for caring for indoor plants, feed the winter birds, and keeping the place well-maintained and tidy.
I rescued Toiyabe from the Nevada desert when I was there working on a book project. He was two months old and malnourished. He's traveled with me across the country and has lived in different cities. Now he's happy being in one place and has recently become an outdoor cat. He's had all his shots, is healthy, and he wears bells when he goes outdoors to protect the local bird population.
He's very affectionate and is used to having someone there who works from home. I don't let him out after dusk as I don't want him out at night. He's a playful cat and a bit of a trickster.
I live in a compact home that is nestled in a mostly oak and maple forest with beautiful views of the surrounding hills. The house used to be an old mill workers' cabin before it was refurbished and the roof beams are over 100 years old. It has a small bedroom and office on the ground floor and a loft that serves as a bedroom.
This opportunity is perfect for a writer or artist who enjoys quiet creative time and walks by a river or outdoor activities in winter such as snowshoeing, skiing, and skating.
The house has several stone steps going up to it so the person needs to be reasonably fit and will need to shovel the walkway when it snows.
I live near Gatineau Park with 183 KM of hiking trails (in summer) and opportunities to cross-country ski, skate, snowshoe and walk. I'm a 10-minute walk to the Gatineau River. In either Wakefield or Chelsea, there is an assortment of restaurants and cafes to explore.
I'm also 25 minutes from the Byward Market in Ottawa, one of Canada's oldest and largest outdoor markets.