The benefits of being a human cat

Sleeping cat

Something for the weekend…

What kind of job role offers employee benefits that include a bowl of milk and a bowl of tuna?

A human cat companion, of course.

Last week, an unusual job listing appeared on Gumtree Australia for a ‘night time watcher’. Sophie, the ad poster and potential employer, requires someone to curl up on the end of her bed and ‘purr softly like a sleeping kitten’.

Sophie explained: “I have had a lot of trouble sleeping and I think it would be comforting falling asleep to the sound of a cat purring, and also knowing that someone is there to keep an eye on me as I sleep.”

Although Sophie has decided against having a pet cat because she does not have the time to feed and clean up after one, she is seeking to hire one or two employees to work between 11pm and 6am, three nights a week, on a roster basis.

The successful candidate(s) will be paid between AU$35 and AU$60 an hour, depending on how consistent and relaxing their purring skills are.

However, there are some provisos. The ‘night time watcher’ is not to consume their milk or tuna while their employer is awake, and may not use the bathroom less than two hours after she falls asleep.

A uniform is also required. The advert states: “I’d also appreciate it if you could arrive in a realistic cat costume and enter my house on all fours.”

At Employee Benefits, we’re wondering whether the generous hourly pay and the offer of tuna and milk as benefits will be enough to attract and retain the most talented human cats…