Cat sitting in the central Algarve 3km from the beach

About this assignment

Responsible person or couple to care for our cat Violet, plants, and apartment, which is in a quiet condominium complex in the central Algarve. No children, other pets, or guests please.

Violet is a long-haired tortie, about 10 years old, about 10 lbs, very sweet, and opinionated in a charming way. She sleeps large portions of the day and evening away, though she likes a good play session once or twice a day. It is fine to leave her alone for most of the day while you explore the area.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Violet requires medication twice per day, a very easy process which involves encasing a tiny pill in pill wrap and giving it to her. She eats dry food, which can be left out for her and replenished as needed. She is particular about her litter box, so it needs to be scooped once a day. She is exclusively an indoor cat and care must be taken not to let her get outside.

We have a few plants on the patio that may need water.

We will leave a clean apartment for the sitter and expect it to be clean when we return. All cleaning supplies will be made available.

The apartment doors and windows should be locked when no one is home.

What are the good features of the property and location

We are 1.5 km outside the village of Pêra, which is 5 km from Armação de Pêra and 10 km from Albufeira. There are several cafes and restaurants in Pêra, and many more in Armação de Pêra. There is a mini-market in Pêra, but all the larger grocery stores are in Armação.

We are in a small, quiet complex on the ground floor (of two storeys), with a patio that offers views of Armação and Salgados Lagoon. It is a great area for nature lovers, with walking, cycling, and birdwatching opportunities nearby. It is about a 3km walk, on sidewalks and dirt roads, to Praia Grande de Pêra ( Pera Big Beach). We are surrounded by countryside, so you will often see and hear the bells of the sheep and goat herds that graze in the fields around us.

The apartment has 2 bedrooms (one is mostly storage), a full kitchen, and a cozy and comfortable living room. It has wifi, cable TV, a clothes washer, cooktop/oven, large refrigerator, fully functional hot water, and clean bathroom facilities with shower. There is heating and air conditioning. The complex has a shared pool which is maintained year around, as well as a private tennis court.

There is a double bed in the main bedroom, and pull-out daybed in the other bedroom.

The private patio has a charcoal grill.

Parking is free and easily available.

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

There are buses from Pêra to many other locations in the Algarve, and Bolt/Uber is available, but this complex is just far enough from services that you will want to have a car unless you are a dedicated walker or biker. The closest airport is in Faro, 45 km away.

The condo complex is a mix of full-time residents like us, owners who come for short visits, and short-term renters. Usually the complex is very quiet, so loud parties are not welcome (and should be reported if you are being disturbed by anyone's behavior). The loudest noises we usually hear are children playing!

Our water heater heater runs on natural gas, which is quite expensive, so we ask that sitters be thoughtful about hot water use (eg. use the dishwasher rather than hand wash dishes, limit long showers). We once had sitters that quadrupled our monthly bill which was quite shocking!

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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