Bringing home owners and house sitters together
A fine cat in a big villa right in the sunny hills of Piedmont
Italy, Nomaglio, Piemonte
Pets
- Cat(s)
Franzi is charming and beautiful! She is 16 years old now, born in Berlin, and moved to Italy five years ago.
Dates
- 24 Aug 2025 to 11 Sep 2025 (9 sitters have applied for these dates)
About this assignment
We are looking for someone to look after our cat whilst we work as tour managers with tourists all over Europe. We are a German-English couple, who moved to Italy six years ago and fell in love with this extraordinary place. Our cat, 16 year old Franzi, has come with us all the way from Berlin, and we want her to be well looked after when we are away.
What responsibilities are required of the house sitter
Franzi appreciates human beings being around, feeding her, opening the terrace doors for her and offering cuddles...
As our place is right at the end of the village, we also want to be sure that the house is lived in, kept warm and looked after when we are away.
What are the good features of the property and location
Our place is situated in Piedmont right at the mouth of the Aosta Valley. The towns of Aosta and Turin are both less than an hour's drive away. The house overlooks the valley with a big wild garden on a cliff.
Two big terraces and a huge panoramic window in the living room offer a magnificent view to the south. A piano, a wood burning stove, lots of books and DVDs plus a daylight projector help pass the time, if you are not walking (i.e. in the surrounding forests or in the mountains behind the house), having your ice-cream in the nearby town of Ivrea or visiting some of the castles in the Aosta Valley. We also have a table tennis table (outdoors).
Val Gressoney with the glaciers of Monte Rosa and it's big skiing resorts is also less than an hour's drive away.
The village features a lovely Trattoria, a post office & a grocery shop.
What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment
Our house sitter would have to love nature, because we are in the middle of it. As the place is quite big, it might be more fun to come as a couple than alone.
We recommend that you bring a car with you.
Can I bring my own pets?
No, sorry.
Last updated:
9 July 2025
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Testimonials
Beautiful place, wonderful scenery, lovely hosts and friendly cat.
I had a lovely stay at Katja and Michael's place. They are lovely, friendly, welcoming people. Their home is large and beautiful and in a fantastic setting, with amazing views of the mountains and the valley below, which is perhaps even more stunning when it is lit up at night. Franzi is a very lovely cat, once she gets to know you. She's very shy to start with, but quickly became very friendly and affectionate towards me, spending lots of time with me, sitting on my lap at every opportunity. She was a delight to look after, probably the best behaved cat I've ever come across. I loved my stay there and would recommend it to anyone who loves mountains and cats! Thank you Katja and Michael, I hope to see you both again one day!
Stephen, United Kingdom, 20 Mar 2025
Nomaglio in February with Franzi
I have the good fortune to land this cat/house sit in a beautiful property immersed in the countryside, 5 minutes walk from the village of Nomaglio. Michael and Katya are wonderful, and made me feel very much at home, welcoming me with a lovely meal that we shared as I arrived the night before their departure. We had such a lovely evening, a great atmosphere and conversation, I felt like I was was with old friends. Franzi their cat was a bit wary at first but soon overcame this and approached me for cuddles,and to sit on my lap. She's lovely, so photogenic, and very comunicative when she wants something. The house is close to a lot of hiking possibilites, even the via Franchigena passes nearby. There is a small shop in the village, a nice restaurant with fixed price (economical) menu and a larger supermarket is about 7km away. A car would be advised , and nearby tourist attractions include Biella, Ivrea, Lago Sirio, Forte di Bard and Santuario di Oropa. A very positive experience.
clare, Italy, 27 Feb 2025
Wonderful experience between sweet cats and gorgeous mountains
In a word: marvelous. Katja and Michael are two extremely kind and nice people, communication was very easy and they were really welcoming to us. The cats Franzie and Polly were very cuddly and looking after them was pleasant and really easy. It was very easy to become friends, especially with Franzie, who rewarded us with lots of cuddles and purrs. The house is fantastic: amidst the mountains of Piedmont this beautiful multi-leveled house with large windows allowed us to relax while looking at snow-capped peaks on one side and green ups and downs on the other. There is also a huge garden from which you can enjoy astonishing views. From the house you can reach the village of Nomaglio in a 5-minutes walk. It is a really quaint little village with just a bar, a restaurant (which are the same place!), a couple of grocery stores, and of course a little church. People of the place are very kind! Recommended to everyone!
Francesca, Italy, 4 Apr 2024
Wonderful home, cats and owners! Paw-some stay!
Such a great experience, felt like once in a life time with wonderful scenic views from the home - absolutely beautiful. Great quality and clean home and the cats; Franzie and Polly were so adorable, very low maintenance and independent, and sometimes I'd get lucky with Franzie giving me cuddles :D In the mornings I would leave the balcony door open so they could sit outdoors at balcony and enjoy some fresh air, then they'd come back in on their own. The owners Katja and Michael were so helpful, friendly, honest and caring. They even made sure I was well looked after by the locals by letting them know of my stay, I received friendly greetings by all the neighbourhood. I also enjoyed a trip down to the main city of Torino, and had a the best time visiting the car museum there, I felt like a child! I'd for sure go again, miss the stunning views!
Sim, United Kingdom, 6 Feb 2024
We loved our stay at Katja's. The experience was great with Franzie and Polly, the lovely people in the village, the gorgeous scenery, and the beautiful garden. Katja communicates well, gave good instructions, and was very friendly and laidback. The house is several floors and at the very end of the village, so you get clear views out to the valley and mountains. The house has a rustic charm, which is nice but also comes with its set of responsibilities and minor challenges. Loved the newly renovated bathrooms. The girls (cats) are low maintenence, take a while to warm up to visitors, but once they love you, you can't help but love them back! You'll need a car for the best experience, there's very little amenities in the village and I wouldn't want to bike those hills! Katja very kindly lent us theirs.
Petra, Czech Republic, 27 Oct 2023
Huge house, stunning views and adorable cats and helfpul owners
This sit was quite memorable - I landed in a huge house overlooking a valley in Piemonte with two quite easy-going cats. Michael and Katja, the owners, did their best to accomodate me. The situation changed even before it started, as Katja got sick and came back for a couple of days but I was assured I can stay no problems, so I did (she departed again when things got better). I enjoyed the area a lot, got around on a bicycle (plenty of climibing), but used a bus that runs to Ivrea a few times a day. There is a lot to do and see around, or do nothing if you prefer - just cuddling cats :) I'd like to thank Micheal and Katja for their flexibility and wish them best.
Ewa, Poland, 25 Aug 2023
Relaxed stay with Polly and Franzi
Enjoyed our stay in nomaglio a beatiful part of northern italy , Katja and michael are very friendly and welcoming, katja showed us around the area and local town before leaving ,they even lent us a car which was a great to get around and explore ,the 2 cats Polly and Franzi were a little shy at first but soon became our friends , this part of italy has stunning scenery , lots of places to visit and good food and wine. thanks for sharing your home with us,
Linda, United Kingdom, 29 Oct 2022
Sitting cats and house in Piemont
A stunning villa with unbelievable vistas in a small mountainous village, very nice, easy and generous hosts, nice cats (sometimes a little forgetful, though): I enyoyed this homesit and would be happy to have this chance again.
Michael, Germany, 11 Oct 2022
Great Homeowners with Lovely Kitties and Beautiful Home!
We were fortunate enough to stay with Franzie and Polly, two super-cute cats, for 2 weerks in July 2022. Homeowners Katja and Michael were very communicative, warm, and so helpful. Their home in the Italian countryside is big and comfortable, with terrific views. We had a lovely time relaxing at the foot of the Alps and just hanging out with two adorable, happy kitties!
Leslie, France, 29 Jul 2022