Aunty Kaz - Pet & House Sitter

Aunty Kaz - Pet & House Sitter (FORMERLY THE NOCRASTINATOR)
Approaching 60. Full time pet & house sitter and digital nomad. Tips and advice for sitters and pet owners.

Referral codes for a membership $10 discount: Aussie House Sitters M2Y43H Kiwi House Sitters M9ZLDJ

FOR SITTERS GETTING STARTED / FINDING GIGS: What's the difference between house sitting and pet sitting?Although people ...
09/09/2026

FOR SITTERS GETTING STARTED / FINDING GIGS: What's the difference between house sitting and pet sitting?

Although people often use the terms interchangeably, house sitting and pet sitting aren't quite the same thing.

House sitting generally means staying in someone's home while they're away and looking after the property. That might include collecting mail, watering plants, putting bins out, keeping the house secure and generally making sure everything carries on as normally as possible. There may or may not be pets involved.

Pet sitting is specifically about caring for someone's animals. That could mean staying overnight, visiting once or several times a day, feeding pets, walking dogs, cleaning litter trays, giving medication and providing companionship.

There's plenty of overlap. A house sit with three dogs, two cats, chickens and a vegetable garden is definitely not just "sleeping in someone else's house"! Conversely, a pet sitter might simply pop in twice a day to feed a cat without staying overnight.

The biggest difference is really what you're being asked to take responsibility for.

Before agreeing to anything, make sure you know exactly what the homeowner expects. "Looking after the house" can mean very different things to different people. One person means "please don't burn it down." Another means "the orchids require a humidifier at 7:15 every morning."

Note that strictly house sitting gigs (i.e. no pets to look after) are extremely rare. I once looked up housesits in the US on Trusted Housesitters – there were currently 3,514 across the US. When I put the “No Pets” filter on – the results dropped to just 3 sits. Like I said – they’re extremely rare.

TODAY’S PHOTOS: Forster-Tuncurry, NSW, Australia. Sit pets: 3 cats

I often see sitters complaining in Facebook groups about this listing or that listing where, "OMG they expect you won't ...
08/09/2026

I often see sitters complaining in Facebook groups about this listing or that listing where, "OMG they expect you won't leave the animals alone for more than 2-3 hours". Chose your sits more carefully, then. I'm quite particular with where I choose to sit, hence, I get views like these. Why would I even want to leave the properties? 🤣 Great scores through Aussie House Sitters and Kiwi House Sitters ❤️

PET-SPECIFIC CONCERNS: How do I handle a pet with separation anxiety while owners are away?First, understand that separa...
08/09/2026

PET-SPECIFIC CONCERNS: How do I handle a pet with separation anxiety while owners are away?

First, understand that separation anxiety isn't the same thing as a pet simply missing its owner. Some animals experience genuine distress when their person leaves. They may bark, howl, pace, destroy things, try to escape, or become extremely anxious.

The most important thing is to follow the owner's established routine. Don't suddenly introduce a whole new training programme because you watched a dog-training video at 11pm.

Ask what normally helps. Does the dog sleep in a particular room? Need background noise? Have a favourite toy? Use medication prescribed by a veterinarian? Have restrictions around being left alone?

Keep the environment calm and predictable.

If the animal becomes significantly distressed, contact the owner and follow their instructions. If medication or veterinary intervention is involved, follow professional guidance.

Don't punish anxious behaviour. The animal isn't being naughty because it has decided to ruin your holiday. It's struggling.

And be realistic when accepting the booking. If the dog cannot be left alone for more than 30 minutes, that is an important requirement – not a minor footnote. You can’t take that sit and then go sightseeing 8 hours a day.

Separation-anxiety cases can be very rewarding, but they can also be demanding.

Sometimes the best thing you can offer is simply calm, consistent company.

And yes, this may mean discovering that your quiet afternoon at the café has been cancelled because your new four-legged supervisor has other ideas.

TODAY’S PHOTOS: Sydney Harbour during Marrickville sit, NSW, Australia. Sit pet: 1 cat.

Registered with Aussie House Sitters & Kiwi House Sitters

This is a little off-topic, but grrrr.I succumbed to one of those, "Click here and turn this photo into a cartoon strip"...
07/09/2026

This is a little off-topic, but grrrr.
I succumbed to one of those, "Click here and turn this photo into a cartoon strip" ads that come up on Facebook. This is a photo of me taking at the Costumiers Fantasy Masquerade Ball a couple of years ago. I think I looked fabulous. AI disagreed.
It "fixed" my teeth. It "fixed" my nose. It "fixed" my b***s. It "fixed" my waist. It "fixed" my arms. It "fixed" my wrinkles. It "fixed" my age.
I'm 59. I'm long enough in the tooth to not care what AI thinks of me or what it thinks needs "fixing". But my heart goes out to young impressionable girls who might be going through the same process, looking at the result, and thinking, oh my God, I need to fix all of these things about me.
I didn't take note of what program Facebook's AI used to create the cartoon, but I in turn asked ChatGPT to create a cartoon of me and told it not to fix anything. The third photo is what Sparky returned. There's nothing wrong with it. I look fabulous, and I look like me, so f*** off Facebook AI ... stop trying to "fix" humans.

LOGISTICS & PRACTICAL CONCERNS: What should be in a house sitting welcome guide/binder?Think of your welcome guide as th...
07/09/2026

LOGISTICS & PRACTICAL CONCERNS: What should be in a house sitting welcome guide/binder?

Think of your welcome guide as the manual you would want if you suddenly woke up tomorrow and found yourself responsible for someone else's house, pets, and plumbing.
Include emergency contacts first: homeowner, backup contact, vet, emergency vet and relevant service providers.

Then cover the pets – feeding, medication, exercise, sleeping arrangements, behaviour, favourite treats, and anything unusual.

For the house, include security instructions, alarms, keys, Wi-Fi, heating/cooling, rubbish collection, appliances, and where the fuse box and water shut-off are located.

Add practical information about plants, gardens, pools, mail, and deliveries if those are part of the arrangement.

It can also be useful to include the nearest supermarket, pharmacy, vet, and other useful local services.

Make clear what is expected and what isn't. "Keep the garden alive" is rather vague compared with "Water the vegetable garden every second morning."

Photos can be surprisingly helpful for unfamiliar equipment.

And don't forget the things that seem obvious to you. You know which switch turns on the hot-water system. The sitter doesn't.

A good welcome guide shouldn't contain every detail about your life since 1987. It should contain the information someone actually needs to look after your home confidently.

TODAY’S PHOTOS: Cedar Park, Austin, Texas, USA. Sit pets: 1 dog.

Registered with Aussie House Sitters & Kiwi House Sitters

06/09/2026

Aussie Rush Hour!!!

06/09/2026

First swim of the season!!!! And yes, that is Angry Parrot singing LOUDLY in the background.

06/09/2026

Fabulous morning at the Kin Kin Markets and great sounds from Those Folk.

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Tauranga

Telephone

+61455198324

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