I'm Kellie
Playful Paws Cat Sitting
Book With Confidence
Meowtel provides customer support 365 days a year to help cat parents feel informed and supported at every step - including before a reservation is made.
In-home cat sitting visits typically include:
Kellie is experienced with 3 types of medications
Check if Kellie services your area
Unfortunately, Kellie does not cover your area right meow.
I'm Kellie
Cat Sitting in Santa Cruz, CA
Hi! I currently live on the border where Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel meet, with two affectionate and mischievous Tortie kitties named Amber and Gracie who are certain they own me (as opposed to the other way around).
I’m a compulsive cat rescuer ... in my lifetime I've found homes for six cats, including an abandoned 2 week old feral kitten who was too sick to find a home for, so I nursed her back to health (took six months) and she was a beloved member of our family for 17 years. Brings tears to my eyes to even write about her!
I'm very good at being patient and "still," talking softly and allowing cats to come to me. Even cats that clients have said never come out of hiding for other sitters have come out for me after a few days. For me, having a shy cat learn to trust me is the most rewarding part of the job!
EXPERIENCE
I have four years of full-time professional pet sitting experience. No matter what happens with your house or your kitties, I'm the cat sitter you can count on!
About 20 years ago I had my own in-home pet sitting business... MEET KELLIE
Hi! I currently live on the border where Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel meet, with two affectionate and mischievous Tortie kitties named Amber and Gracie who are certain they own me (as opposed to the other way around).
I’m a compulsive cat rescuer ... in my lifetime I've found homes for six cats, including an abandoned 2 week old feral kitten who was too sick to find a home for, so I nursed her back to health (took six months) and she was a beloved member of our family for 17 years. Brings tears to my eyes to even write about her!
I'm very good at being patient and "still," talking softly and allowing cats to come to me. Even cats that clients have said never come out of hiding for other sitters have come out for me after a few days. For me, having a shy cat learn to trust me is the most rewarding part of the job!
EXPERIENCE
I have four years of full-time professional pet sitting experience. No matter what happens with your house or your kitties, I'm the cat sitter you can count on!
About 20 years ago I had my own in-home pet sitting business. I took on jobs full time and I had three contractors working for me as well. I sold it because I was having twin boys! I became a personal and business coach so I could work from home, and I still do that. However, now my boys are 23(!!!) and I can't think of any activity more fun to add to my current life than making new kitty friends!
SERVICES
I am a big fan of communication, so in addition to a free initial 30-45 minute Meet & Greet, you'll always get texts and pics (as desired) letting you know everything that's going on at home while you're away.
I offer a free, comprehensive Meet & Greet, with a detailed Client and Pet Profile I fill out to be certain I have all the information I need about you, your home, and your pets. Plus it's an excuse to get acquainted with your kitties ;-)
My "20 min" sits are more like 20-30 min, often 30, depending on client & kitty needs. I offer a 10% discount to new clients, just ask!!
In addition, I offer:
• All the daily basics: feeding, water changes, litterbox maintenance, cleaning around
litterboxes and food areas, treats (you supply), playtime, and cuddles.
• Mail & Newspaper collection
• Plant watering
• Lights turned on/off
• Roll out/return garbage cans on collection day
• Care for other animals in your home
• Medication administration (with the exception of Insulin shots)
POLICIES
I adhere to Meowtel's policies, and, I have a few of my own:
• Too many things can go wrong within a 48 hour period for unsupervised cats that can lead to disaster unless discovered sooner. Because of this, I don't do every other day sits. Please consider daily sits for the safety and well-being of your cat(s).
• It's important for me to know when you return from your trip and your cats are safely back in your care again. Please text me (or call) to let me know as soon as you arrive home. If I'm not notified of your return, I will keep coming to care for your cats until you return. Emergencies do happen. I once cared for a client's pets for three days after they were supposed to return, because they were trapped in a foreign country in Customs and couldn't communicate. They were so grateful and relieved because they knew I would still come and take care of their precious fur-babies!
AVAILABILITY
Please feel free to send me a message with any questions, or just to chat before you book me, I usually respond very quickly :-).
Medication Experience:
Skills:
In-home cat sitting visits typically include:
Kellie is experienced with 3 types of medications
Check if Kellie services your area
Unfortunately, Kellie does not cover your area right meow.
Tshala
October 21, 2025
Kellie was responsive to all my requests and did her best to accommodate a six kitty home with grace and determination. I appreciated the way she gave direct feedback and worked with me when questions came up in ways that made me able to relax into my trip.
Read more
Gregor
September 6, 2024
We booked Kellie again as we were so happy with her first time when she took care of our kitties. She took great care of understanding the kitties’ needs before starting, and then she followed up on that with great detail and with photos and updates that gave us great peace of mind while we were far away. She entertained our kitties so well they were very demanding with toys when we returned! The photos showed how much our kitties got attached to her and how much they love her. On top of that, she went above and beyond as we had a horrible ant infestation that she took care of! One really couldn’t ask for anything more and we are grateful that we can rely on her.
Read more
Gregor
September 16, 2025
Kellie is someone we are delighted to rely on when we are out of town. She is very diligent, detail oriented, and makes sure that the kitties are doing well and that they get the playtime. She also takes care of other details around the house, such as CO alarms expiring! Our cats seem to adore her. We feel secure with her being around.
Read more
Jennifer
June 27, 2022
Kellie is an absolute dream pet sitter. Our shy cat Milo took to her very quickly, and we received daily updates on his activity, and so many cute pictures of him sitting in her lap, in full kitty love! We felt very comfortable having her care for him in our home, and we highly recommend her!
Read more
Tamar
July 7, 2022
Kellie is a fantastic sitter. I have shy cats and they all came out while Kellie was caring for them. Kellie went above and beyond by dealing with ants and keeping all my plants healthy. She really cares and does a great job.
Read more
Gregor
January 4, 2026
Kelly is the best cat sitter one could possibly ask for! We have been relying on her for years now, as we know our cats will be in great hands. Kelly has a lot of cat experience, she is diligent and thinks about all possible details. Our cats adore her and she gives them the love we can’t while we are away.
Read moreService Area & Availability
Drop in visits rates
Kellie's is 15%
Holiday Surcharge
Due to high demand during holidays, sitters on Meowtel have the option to set their own holiday price increase, which can be found in the rates section of their profiles. If your reservation falls within three (3) days before and/or after a federal holiday, or on the holiday itself, a holiday surcharge, determined by your sitter, will be added to your reservation.
These are the date ranges in 2026 to which the holiday surcharge applies:
- January 1-4: New Year's 2026
- January 16-22: MLK Day
- February 13-19: Presidents Day
- May 22-28: Memorial Day
- June 16-22: Juneteenth
- July 1-7: July 4th
- September 4-10: Labor Day
- October 9-15: Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day
- November 8-14: Veterans Day
- November 23-29: Thanksgiving
- December 22-28: Christmas
- December 29-31: New Year's 2027
Kellie's holiday surcharge is 15%.
Communicate & Pay Through Meowtel
Using Meowtel's messaging and payment tools helps keep booking details in one place and gives you access to platform support if you need help.
285,000+
Reservations Completed
Trust & Safety
Every reservation is backed by the Meowtel Promise, giving you and your cat world-class customer support every step of the way.
If it doesn't feel like the right fit at the Meet & Greet, or if you have any concerns during the reservation, please call 1-844-MEOWTEL (1-844-636-9835) so we can help you re-book with another sitter.
Memorial Day is coming up soon (May 25th, 2026)
Cat sitters on Meowtel are usually pretty busy, don't forget to book your sitter!
Frequently Asked Questions
Reservations officially begin at 12:00 AM in the sitter's time zone on the start date. Cat Parents may cancel within 24 hours of booking and receive a full refund, as long as the reservation has not yet started. After the first 24 hours, the following cancellation rules apply:
- More than 48 hours before the reservation start date: Full refund. The sitter will not receive any earnings.
- 24–48 hours before the reservation start date: 50% refund. The sitter will earn 50% of their planned earnings.
- Within 24 hours of the reservation start date (or after it has begun): No refund. The sitter will earn 100% of their planned earnings.
All refunds are initially applied to the Cat Parent's Meowtel Account Balance for use toward a future reservation or tip. Funds may be returned to the original payment method at any time.
Meowtel is a marketplace that connects cat parents with independent sitters. For eligible reservations booked and paid for through Meowtel, the Meowtel Promise explains how we support cat parents if something unexpected comes up.
If it doesn't feel like a purrfect fit after a Meet & Greet or during a reservation, our support team is here to help at 1-844-Meowtel (1-844-636-9835). We'll take time to understand what happened and help you consider next steps, which could include help with a new reservation.
Santa Cruz cat sitting rates will vary based on the sitter's experience and services, but the average price is $34.00. Prices depend on visit duration (20, 45, or 60 minutes) and whether you need drop-in visits or overnight stays.
Every cat sitter on Meowtel completes a background check. Ask your sitter about a free Meet & Greet so you (and your kitties!) can feel comfortable with your sitter before you leave.
Cats are territorial animals and don't do well in new environments. The presence of other cats, dogs, and even birds in kennels or animal hotels cause an immense amount of stress. This is why Meowtel was created, so tailored in-home care is brought to you.
We recommend booking daily visits to keep your cats in their routine and help minimize feline anxiety while you're away.
Each visit typically includes: feeding, refreshing water bowls, litter box scooping, tidying up, medications, updates with photos, lots of playtime, and any special requests. Ask your sitter about a free Meet & Greet!
Rating breakdown
Tshala
October 21, 2025
Kellie was responsive to all my requests and did her best to accommodate a six kitty home with grace and determination. I appreciated the way she gave direct feedback and worked with me when questions came up in ways that made me able to relax into my trip.
Gregor
September 6, 2024
We booked Kellie again as we were so happy with her first time when she took care of our kitties. She took great care of understanding the kitties’ needs before starting, and then she followed up on that with great detail and with photos and updates that gave us great peace of mind while we were far away. She entertained our kitties so well they were very demanding with toys when we returned! The photos showed how much our kitties got attached to her and how much they love her. On top of that, she went above and beyond as we had a horrible ant infestation that she took care of! One really couldn’t ask for anything more and we are grateful that we can rely on her.
Gregor
September 16, 2025
Kellie is someone we are delighted to rely on when we are out of town. She is very diligent, detail oriented, and makes sure that the kitties are doing well and that they get the playtime. She also takes care of other details around the house, such as CO alarms expiring! Our cats seem to adore her. We feel secure with her being around.
Jennifer
June 27, 2022
Kellie is an absolute dream pet sitter. Our shy cat Milo took to her very quickly, and we received daily updates on his activity, and so many cute pictures of him sitting in her lap, in full kitty love! We felt very comfortable having her care for him in our home, and we highly recommend her!
Tamar
July 7, 2022
Kellie is a fantastic sitter. I have shy cats and they all came out while Kellie was caring for them. Kellie went above and beyond by dealing with ants and keeping all my plants healthy. She really cares and does a great job.
Gregor
January 4, 2026
Kelly is the best cat sitter one could possibly ask for! We have been relying on her for years now, as we know our cats will be in great hands. Kelly has a lot of cat experience, she is diligent and thinks about all possible details. Our cats adore her and she gives them the love we can’t while we are away.
Julia
January 6, 2023
Thanks to Kellie, the stressful experience of being away from our cats was made way less stressful knowing they were in good hands. Kellie took excellent care of them, kept us in the loop on everything, and — importantly — the kitties LOVED her! It's a huge blessing and relief to have been able to rely on Kellie, and to have a trustworthy sitter for the future.
Ana Luiza
August 11, 2022
Kellie is amazing! She took care of my cat so well, I could relax and enjoy my vacations without any worries. She is responsible, caring and trustworthy, I’ll definitely call her again every time I need. Thank you Kellie!
Geoffrey
December 10, 2025
Wonderful sitter.
Mia
November 15, 2025
Tamar
November 11, 2025
Kathy
October 19, 2025
Kathy
September 29, 2025
Tamar
July 18, 2024
Kelly always does a great job she goes above and beyond to make sure our cats are happy.
Jennifer
July 13, 2024
Tamar
June 14, 2024
Jenna
March 11, 2024
As always Kellie took great care of our cats and house. Thank you!
Jenna
February 28, 2024
As always, Kellie took great care of my two kitties and our house while we were away. would def recommend her. Thank you Kellie!
Jenna
January 4, 2024
Kellie always takes wonderful care of our cats and our house. I’d recommend her to anyone. Thank you!
Cynthia
December 30, 2023
Katie
November 27, 2023
Kellie is a wonderful sitter! Great communication & she made sure my kitty had all the love and playtime he needed while I was away. Highly recommend :)
Cynthia
November 25, 2023
Tamar
November 13, 2023
Kellie is a reliable cat sitter. I always feel confident that my cats are in good hands and I can relax.
Samantha
June 28, 2023
Kellie was very thorough at our meet & greet and took very good care of our 16 year old cat. Your cats will be in good hands with Kellie!
Jenna
January 5, 2023
Kellie is a wonderful sitter. So attentive to the needs of my pets. She takes great care of them. She sends my photos so I’m always reassured that the cats are happy. Thank you as always.
Jenna
November 25, 2022
Wonderful experience with Kelly! So caring and thoughtful. Took great care of cats and house. Thank you!
Meowtel
May 16, 2022
Kellie is a cat sitter in the Santa Cruz area. Her profile has been verified and her references have been checked by Meowtel.
Free Cancellation (48+ hrs)