HOW THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN LIVING RENT-FREE IN CANADA

Madolline Gourley, originally from Brisbane, Australia, has been residing in Canada for approximately three months, exploring cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and beyond. Remarkably, she hasn’t spent a dime on accommodation—she stays with cats.

Her unique arrangement involves house-sitting for individuals who have cats needing care while they are away on vacation or business trips. Gourley finds these opportunities through house-sitting platforms like housesitterscanada.com, mindmyhouse.com, or housecarers.com, connecting directly with cat owners in need of reliable caretakers.

It’s a clever solution, especially considering the skyrocketing costs of travel in recent years. Even budget-friendly shared accommodations in Toronto can exceed $100 per night. Opting for a centrally located, well-known hotel like the Sheraton could easily push expenses above $500 nightly.

According to a recent Globe and Mail article, a couple reported saving approximately $6,000 by participating in a house-swapping arrangement akin to Gourley’s cat-sitting gigs, albeit without the company of furry friends. However you look at it, this approach offers significant savings.

While some house-sitting listings only require someone to watch over the property during the owner’s absence, most involve caring for and feeding animals.

“Beyond domestic pets like cats and dogs,” explains Gourley, 34, “there are owners with iguanas, or even complete farms to manage—horses, cows, chickens.”

Gourley’s a cat person — always has been, since growing up with several cats over her childhood and teenage years. An only child who still lives with her parents (when she’s actually in Australia), Gourley has a cat back home named Gracie.

“My mom likes to joke that she’s the cat’s mom,” she says, chuckling. “She really enjoys it when I’m away because then the cat has no choice but to love her.”

However, not every cat Madolline looks after is equally friendly. Isabelle, a recent charge in Vancouver, proved to be a bit challenging.

“She was an older cat, around 13 or 14 years old. They did warn me that she takes time to warm up to people, and they were right,” Madolline recalls. “At first, she was a bit hissy and standoffish, not really fond of me. But by the third or fourth day, she started sitting on my lap and letting me pet her.”

In contrast, Madolline recalls her experience with two Toronto cats she stayed with last year during another trip across Canada.

“They were the most beautiful, lovely, funny, perfect cats. And their owners actually invited me back to house-sit for them this year,” Madolline explains. “I’ll be looking after Henry and Josie for the entire month of July.”

Madolline’s journey into cat-sitting began about six years ago in Australia before expanding to the United States and Canada. While not without challenges — news.com.au reported in 2022 that she faced scrutiny from U.S. border officials before returning home — her experiences on this side of the border have been overwhelmingly positive and financially beneficial.

“Travel isn’t as affordable as it used to be, so if you’re willing to house and cat-sit, you can explore some amazing places,” Madolline points out. “While it’s unpaid, it’s kind of like a free vacation.”

She holds a work permit and is actively seeking remote work to supplement her income. Nevertheless, she’s already saving significantly by avoiding hotel expenses, aside from occasional gaps between assignments.

“By the time I return home, I’ll have spent six months in Canada without paying for accommodation,” she notes. “I don’t have a permanent job or a mortgage back home, so I do enjoy a level of flexibility that many people don’t have.”

However, Madolline acknowledges that eventually she may need to settle down and secure a permanent job, limiting her cat-sitting to vacations.

Before that transition, though, she plans to broaden her travels.

“I’ve recently obtained Croatian citizenship through my grandma,” she reveals. “With an EU passport, I’ll be able to stay in Europe and continue cat-sitting there.”

Language barriers could pose a challenge. “I only speak English,” she admits. “It might be a bit difficult, I’m aware.” Fortunately, she’s fluent in the universal language of cats.