Meow! How Can We Help?

Looking to boost your cat sitting visibility? Here are some tried-and-true ways to enhance your search visibility for Meowtel clients:

1. Enhance your sitter listing: Your sitter bio is the most important factor clients consider. Aim for at least 300 words and highlight your experience, love for cats, and what makes you a great sitter. A detailed bio can also help your listing visibility in web search browsers as well!
2. Update your availability regularly: Keep your calendar accurate and open at least 2-3 months in advance with as many consecutive days as possible. Many cat parents book early, especially for holidays and longer travel.
3. Set and adjust competitive rates: Research what other sitters in your area charge and adjust/lower accordingly. Offering a fair rate can help attract a broader spectrum of clients, while still valuing your time and expertise.
4. Expand your service area: Consider covering a 10-15 mile radius (or more if you're willing to drive further). The more neighborhoods you serve, the more potential clients you can reach!
5. Respond quickly to inquiries: Fast replies show reliability and increase your chances of getting booked. Clients appreciate efficient communication when searching for the right sitter. Often, clients may reach out with questions prior to booking their reservation - a smooth client experience starts with helpful guidance and prompt communication!
6. Get great reviews: Positive reviews build trust and encourage new clients to book with you. Provide top-notch care, send timely, detailed updates, include lots of photos, and make sure clients have a great experience. When a reservation is complete, a friendly reminder for clients to leave a review for you can go a long way to set you up for future success.
7. Promote yourself: Spread the word on social media, Nextdoor, or local community boards. You can also order promotional items from our Sitter Store to market your services.
8. Offer clients a discount code: Set up a discount code to entice new or repeat clients to book a reservation with you!

By following these steps, you’ll increase your client visibility and make your profile stand out to potential new clients!

Are you looking for more help to customize your sitter listing? Reach out to the Sitter Success Team via email at [email protected] to request a personalized review of your sitter listing!

To maintain an active sitter listing in the Meowtel marketplace all sitters are required to uphold Minimum Standards for Client Satisfaction and Sitter Performance. Failure to maintain any of these standards will be considered a breach of the Meowtel Terms of Service and may result in account deactivation. 

All sitters agree to:

1. Maintain an accurate, up to date calendar of their availability. 
2. Accept or decline all reservation requests before they expire. Reservation requests expire 24 hours after being placed by a client.
3. Perform all services promised to Meowtel clients during every visit:
4. Litter box cleaning
5. Feeding
6. Water refresh
7. Sending the client an update with at least 1 written update and 1 photo/video
8. Socializing/Playtime
9. Cleaning and tidying any cat related messes, such as tracked litter, spilled food or water, hairballs, etc.
10. Stay for the full duration of each visit as reserved.
11. Keep all communication with Meowtel clients within the Meowtel chat.
12. Respond to communications from other users and Meowtel staff promptly via the same communication channel by which the message was received i.e. responding to client messages in the Meowtel chat, and Meowtel staff emails via email.
13. Maintain accurate descriptions of their skills and experience as well as services offered in their listing.
14. Represent Meowtel policies accurately and honestly to clients. When unsure of a policy, direct clients to contact Meowtel Bellhop for clarification.

Yes! You have two options depending on your needs:

Vacation Mode: If you'll be away on vacation (or otherwise unavailable) and do not want to receive new requests or messages from clients during that time, you can enable Vacation Mode:

1. Go to your Sitter Dashboard and click Edit Sitter Listing.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and turn on Vacation Mode.
3. Click Save Changes to confirm.

When Vacation Mode is active:

1. Your profile will not appear in search results.
2. Your availability calendar will be hidden, and clients will not be able to book you
3. Both new and existing clients will not be able to send you messages

Important: If you have active reservations, we recommend waiting until they are completed before enabling Vacation Mode, as clients will be unable to message you once it is activated.

Extended Time Away: If you plan to be away for more than six weeks, we recommend reaching out to us at [email protected] so we can temporarily deactivate your listing. This will ensure your profile remains in good standing while you take a break.

Please take the following steps:

1. Contact the client to check if there is a spare key, alternate entry method, or a property manager with a backup key.
2. Notify Meowtel by calling/texting 1-844-MEOWTEL or emailing [email protected].
3. If there are no spare keys or alternate entry options, work with the client to call the nearest locksmith to get a new key made or get the lock replaced.
4. If the issue is due to a faulty key or lock, the client is responsible for resolving it
5. Once the issue is resolved, inform the client and Meowtel.

Tips to Prevent Key Loss or Damage:

1. Keep the client’s key on your personal keyring.
2. Store keys securely at all times. Never leave them unattended in a car or public place.
3. Avoid using the key for anything other than unlocking the client’s door. Keys can bend or break more easily than expected.
4. If a key fob cannot be placed on a keyring, store it in a wallet or another secure place that stays with you.

Please Note:

Sitters are 100% responsible for calling and paying for the locksmith or a replacement key if the sitter loses, misplaces, or damages a client's key. This includes any situation related to theft or an unexplained loss of a client's key. If a client reports a lost, misplaced, or unreturned key, Meowtel may review the situation and determine whether any adjustments to earnings are necessary to reimburse the client.

Yes—but only to other Meowtel sitters.

Our customers choose Meowtel for the trust and safety our community offers. Breaking that trust does not support the Meowtel mission of helping every cat and cat parent live their best life. Because Meowtel sitters are vetted and insured, referring clients to anyone outside of Meowtel (friends, Instagram sitters, or other websites) violates our Terms of Service and will result in account deactivation.

Successful Meowttel sitters build strong connections with other Meowtel in their area to ensure they have a reliable backup when unavailable. Not only does this help your clients, but it also boosts your business—those sitters will likely return the favor!

Our Recommendations for Purrfect Responses:

1. “I apologize - I'm fully booked, but Rebecca is available and she’s great! Here’s her Meowtel profile: [link].”
2. “I’ve personally used Meowtel sitters Maria and Tom for my kitties—they’re amazing! Search my zip code (11221) on Meowtel to find them.”
3. “I’m so sorry I'm not able to accommodate your reservation, but Meowtel Bellhop can help you find another great sitter!"

Not-So-Purrfect Responses:

1. “I’m booked, but check out my friend @catluvr546394 on Instagram!”
2. “Maybe you can try dallascatboarding.com instead.”
3. “My friend Tina is great with cats! Here’s her phone number and email.”

Bottom line: Only Meowtel sitters meet our trust and safety standards. Keep referrals in the Meowtel family.

To keep your Meowtel listing active and maximize your success as a sitter on Meowtel:

1. Log in to your account regularly. Your account will automatically deactivate after 90 days of inactivity.
2. Update your Availability Calendar regularly. We recommend at least once every 30 days to help you receive relevant requests. Each Service Zone will automatically be disabled if 90 days pass without an update.
3. Maintain Consecutive Availability. As a best practice, aim to offer consecutive days of availability as much as possible. This helps provide continuous care, which is highly valued by cat parents and may lead to more frequent bookings. Customers usually don't schedule visits that are spread out, such as on a Tuesday and then on a Friday.
4. Abide by all Terms of Service and uphold the Minimum Standards for Client Satisfaction and Sitter Performance