Petsit like a friend around the world- Beijing anyone?

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Little did Katie know when moving to Beijing that she’d miss neighbours from home who petsit for her. Katie teaches in the Chinese capital and as an expat she loves learning about her host culture. To help establish her new home she adopted a cat, then faced the challenge of who might petsit or look after her friendly feline when she holidays. In this blog she asks the question – who might petsit like a friend for her? A few months ago she found a blog about housesitting and petsitting as a way to travel the world. And after a successful first match by HouseSitMatch sitters Katie is now looking for housesitters who have a taste of adventure and want to discover China.

Housesitting enables you to petsit anywhere in the world, exchanging your pet and home care experience with a home owner looking for affordable pet care. Beijing anyone?

Visit the beautiful incense filled Lama Temple, only a 30 minute walk or 5 minute subway journey from my apartment in Beijing, China

HouseSitMatch: an expat’s equivalent to asking friends to petsit for you

The first thing I did when I moved to Beijing for work, was to adopt a cat. Well ok, it was the second thing I did, after finding an apartment!

Inside the apartment — My light and airy apartment in a safe compound in the Diplomatic Quarter in Beijing, China, gets fantastic views from the 18th floor (there’s an elevator!)

Apartment block where Katie lives — View of the outside of my apartment block in the Diplomatic Quarter in Beijing, China. Photo taken on one of our many and plentiful blue skies days!

I had a cat back in my native land of England (who lives with my parents) and for me a cat makes a home. So, adopting a cat was an important part of settling into my new expat life.

Winston a ginger and white long haired cat for whom Katie needs petsitters in Biejing — Winston, the Beijing cat in his favourite spot in my apartment.

Petsit brief for Winston the Beijing cat

Winston is an adorable, long-haired, 2 year-old (3 in April!), moggie with cute ginger and white markings. His previous owner (another expat) took excellent care of him and he is the son of a rescued street cat. However, having had several homes at such a young age has left him quite needy.

Other cats I know are pretty un-fussed by humans, they just want to be fed and get on with their own lives. But Winston loves human affection and attention. He wants to be picked up, brushed and played with all the time. He would let you brush him all day if you wanted to!

Winston the cat likes a cuddle petsitting at home is important — Creature Comforts – Winston loves affection

I’m a teacher and I get a lot of holidays and naturally, I want to travel during these holidays.

Pagoda in the famous Summer Palace, just outside of Beijing, about 45 minutes by subway from my apartment in the Diplomatic Quarter.

petsit in Beijing and enjoy noodle delicacies — Spicy Sichuan style noodles at my favourite noodle place (3-min walk from my apartment). A bowl of noodles and a beer will cost you only £4.50!

Enjoying dumplings at my favourite dim sum restaurant, a 10 minute walk away from my apartment in Beijing. 6 dumplings here will cost you only £5 – and that’s expensive, this is a fancy restaurant!

With a cat who enjoys and craves human attention so much, I couldn’t bear the idea of leaving him in a cattery (although there are some excellent ones in Beijing!) A petsitting solution was absolutely the best way forward for us.

Back home in England, I’d ask a neighbour or a friend to petsit while I’m away. But when you’re thousand of miles away from home, you don’t have the same support network. So I began to Google alternatives….

The solution to my petsit challenge

…And that’s how I found HouseSitMatch! I was worried that nobody would be interested in my advert as Beijing isn’t always top of people’s list of places to visit. (Probably because Western media scares them about the pollution, but we actually have more blue sky days than not.

And Beijing is a fascinating city with loads to see and do. My apartment just happens to be in a central location that has the perfect blend of Western comforts and Chinese culture, as well as excellent transport links!)

But how wrong I was! It turns out that loads of people were interested and I was inundated with applications for my house/cat sits.

Chinese lanterns for new year in Beijing — During Chinese New Year in Beijing, you will see lanterns, street parties and fireworks everywhere – it’s a truly unique and exciting visual experience. Like these lanterns by Houhai lake, 10 minutes by subway from my apartment.

I’m currently looking for house/cat sitters for Christmas and Chinese New Year pet-sitting. Soon I’ll be posting an advert for Spring Break. I’m excited about that advert, as spring is probably the best time of year to visit Beijing, as the weather is amazing (warm, breezy and blue skies). But actually, Christmas and Chinese New Year are also great times to visit because of all the extraordinary festivities – it’s like nothing else in the world. Know what…? Beijing is great anytime!

Mountain view only 2 hours from your petsit in Beijing — Beijing is far from the ‘concrete jungle’ people think it is. The city is surround by mountains and countryside. Lingshan mountain is a 2 hour taxi ride away, which will cost you only £20.

Sunset at Leifing Pagoda petsit in Beijing and see the Xihao Pavillion — Leifing Pagoda and Xihao Pavillion

For as long as I need a house/cat sitter, I will continue to use HouseSitMatch. It’s cheap (I was shocked at the prices of some websites!) and the small pay-wall gives me confidence that the house sitters are serious. The website is very user-friendly and feels very safe. And best of all, Lamia, the CEO is available to contact directly, which really gives the personal non-corporate touch which is really appreciate when you’re finding someone to look after your ‘baby’.

To start your housesitting or pet-sitting adventure or to find your housesitting solution register with HouseSitMatch:

To register as a Homeowner follow this link

If you have pet care and homecare experience and want to travel and experience a new location why not register as on HouseSitMatch as a housesitter

To register as a House-sitter or Petsitter follow this link