I'm Maria Mae
Maria - Compassionate Cat Sitter
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:
Maria Mae is experienced with 4 types of medications
Check if Maria Mae services your area
Unfortunately, Maria Mae does not cover your area right meow.
I'm Maria Mae
Cat Sitting in Carbondale, IL
I can ensure personalized care for each cat. I have experience giving medications including pills, eyedrops and ointments... Hey! I’m Maria, I’ve loved animals my whole life, especially cats. I grew up with cats and recently rescued a kitten, named Levi who loves to play. Additionally, I have plenty of animal handling experience including at a zoo and a local cat rescue where I work with the sick kitties who need a little extra care.
I can ensure personalized care for each cat. I have experience giving medications including pills, eyedrops and ointments. I also have experience caring for cats with different personalities whether they’re shy, active or playful.
When I visit, I provide playtime and snuggles (if accepted). I will do my best to follow the cats normal routine and any special instructions. I send updates and photos every visit.
I’m committed to making sure your cat feels loved and cared for while you’re away. Let me know how I can help your kitty feel right at home!
Learn More About Maria Mae
What is your experience with cat sitting, and how long have you been doing it?
I have been cat sitting almost my whole life. It all started when a bunch of my neighbors needed pet care and of course I offered to watch their cats! After a few years word had gotten around about my pet sitting and that’s when I decided to join Meowtel. I have been on Meowtal for a little over a year and I hope to continue cat sitting for years to come!
What do you enjoy most about cat sitting?
I love meeting and playing with new cats! I enjoy helping them feel comfortable and safe while their humans are away.
How do you handle cats that are particularly timid or anxious?
I’m very slow and calm around anxious cats. I don’t speak loud or move directly towards them. I also sit on the ground near them so I don’t seem as intimidating.
Medication Experience:
Skills:
In-home cat sitting visits typically include:
Maria Mae is experienced with 4 types of medications
Check if Maria Mae services your area
Unfortunately, Maria Mae does not cover your area right meow.
Merel
This month
Maria truly cares. We were away for a few days and felt reassured that Lily didn’t just have enough to eat, but was happy, too. I received multiple pictures every day along with a brief update, which I really appreciated. Thank you so much, Maria! We will be in touch as other travel plans unfold.
Read more
Dami
June 26, 2026
I’m so grateful to Maria for being able to watch my baby Pink! Maria was so kind with Pink and took it slow with her, and was able to manage all of her medications and supplements with ease. I would absolutely trust her to watch Pink again.
Read more
Daniel
January 2, 2026
Maria was fantastic! I have a shy kitty, yet Maria was able to build trust with her. After only a couple of days, my kitty was willing to come out from her hiding spot and greet Maria and play. Highly recommend!
Read more
Crystal
September 1, 2025
Maria took great care of my cats. She respected their boundaries on the 1st day while feeling shy and spent timing playing with my friendliest cat when he was up for it. She sent me an account of her time and photos of my cats. I am grateful to have had her attention and care directed at my cats.
Read more
Robin
December 29, 2025
Maria was great at communicating with me while we were away! our verr shy kitty warmed up after a few days thankfully. She is clearly experienced and grateful to trust our kitties with her.
Read more
Mary-Lynn
September 15, 2025
Maria was a wonderful pet-sitter for our cat, Heidi! She made several visits to feed her, check in, and sent us updates each time so we knew how Heidi was doing. While we hated leaving Heidi during our trip, it was such a relief knowing she was in good hands. We’ll definitely call on Maria again in the future and highly recommend her!
Read moreService Area & Availability
Drop in visits rates
Overnight stay rate
Maria Mae'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
Maria Mae's holiday surcharge is 15%.
Drop in visits rates
Maria Mae's is 10%
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
Maria Mae's holiday surcharge is 10%.
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.
325,000+
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.
Labor Day is coming up soon (September 7th, 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.
Carbondale cat sitting rates will vary based on the sitter's experience and services, but the average price is $23.00. 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 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 Meet & Greet!
Rating breakdown
Merel
This month
Maria truly cares. We were away for a few days and felt reassured that Lily didn’t just have enough to eat, but was happy, too. I received multiple pictures every day along with a brief update, which I really appreciated. Thank you so much, Maria! We will be in touch as other travel plans unfold.
Dami
June 26, 2026
I’m so grateful to Maria for being able to watch my baby Pink! Maria was so kind with Pink and took it slow with her, and was able to manage all of her medications and supplements with ease. I would absolutely trust her to watch Pink again.
Daniel
January 2, 2026
Maria was fantastic! I have a shy kitty, yet Maria was able to build trust with her. After only a couple of days, my kitty was willing to come out from her hiding spot and greet Maria and play. Highly recommend!
Crystal
September 1, 2025
Maria took great care of my cats. She respected their boundaries on the 1st day while feeling shy and spent timing playing with my friendliest cat when he was up for it. She sent me an account of her time and photos of my cats. I am grateful to have had her attention and care directed at my cats.
Robin
December 29, 2025
Maria was great at communicating with me while we were away! our verr shy kitty warmed up after a few days thankfully. She is clearly experienced and grateful to trust our kitties with her.
Mary-Lynn
September 15, 2025
Maria was a wonderful pet-sitter for our cat, Heidi! She made several visits to feed her, check in, and sent us updates each time so we knew how Heidi was doing. While we hated leaving Heidi during our trip, it was such a relief knowing she was in good hands. We’ll definitely call on Maria again in the future and highly recommend her!
Yi
June 25, 2026
Maria checked on my cats while I was traveling. she is responsive and helped take in my packages. I came home to two happy cats :) highly recommend Maria’s service.
Merel
This month
Maria truly cares! We were away for a few days and felt reassured that Lily didn’t just have enough to eat, but was happy, too. I received multiple pictures every day along with a brief update, which I really appreciated. Thank you, Maria!
Eliana
June 23, 2025
Maria took amazing care of my cat while I was away. I got regular updates, which gave me peace of mind. she's truly professional, reliable and caring.
Yi
This month
Christina
June 2, 2026
Isabel
January 5, 2026
Tyler
August 18, 2025
Kari
May 27, 2025
Maria is a quintessential animal enthusiast who makes friends with even the grumpiest cats and dogs. She has several pet-sitting clients who hire her repeatedly; she also volunteers at a local zoo where she prepares animal meals, cleans enclosures, handles animals, and provides visitor education. My own dogs love her and go crazy when she comes to visit, and the cats compete to get to her lap first. She's trustworthy, honest, and reliable. You can't go wrong working with Maria -- your cats will love her, and so will you.
Meowtel
May 27, 2025
Maria Mae is a background-checked cat sitter in the Urbana area. Their profile has been verified and their references have been checked by Meowtel.