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Meowtel offers 2 different in-home service types:

• Drop-in visits: The sitter will visit your home once, twice, or even three times per day. These visits can be booked for 20-minute, 45-minute, or 60-minute increments.
• Overnight stays: The sitter will stay overnight in your home for a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 14 hours, though this may vary slightly depending on the sitter's schedule. Overnights include a dinner feeding and breakfast feeding the next morning.

Every visit, regardless of the service type, will include:

• Feeding and refreshing the water
• Cleaning the litter box
• Playtime and cuddles
• Providing medication (if applicable)
• Photo or video updates provided by your sitter

Sitters will also take care of some light house duties such as bringing in the mail or watering a few plants. However, keep in mind that we do not vet our sitters for their ability to take care of houseplants or any other pets besides cats.

We do not offer nor do we vet our sitters for:

• Cat boarding or kenneling, where the cats stay in the sitter's home
• Cat grooming
• House sitting (long-term or 24/7)

If these types of arrangements are made through Meowtel, both parties will be completely uninsured and the sitter's listing may be suspended for violating our service offerings.

Yes! Every reservation comes with a free Meet & Greet.

After you put in a reservation request, you may start setting up your free Meet & Greet by chatting with your sitter via the Meowtel Inbox or by clicking the Chat with Sitter button in your Reservations screen. We recommend proposing 2-3 time slots that will work for you so your sitter can quickly cross-check their calendar.

The Meet & Greet is a 15-30 minute meeting with your sitter to help you, your cats, and your sitter get acquainted with each other. It is the best way to make sure your sitter will be the purrfect fit and establish trust between both parties before the reservation takes place.

At the Meet & Greet, please provide your sitter with a copy of your key(s) so they do not have to make another trip to your home to pick it up.

Yes! All sitters are thoroughly vetted; we are highly selective in who we allow to sit on Meowtel.

Less than 10% of submitted profiles pass our screening and selection process which consists of:

• Successfully completing a cat sitting case study
• Submitting an application
• A resume review
• A background check which covers criminal and traffic offenses in local, state, and federal jurisdictions
• Two reference checks who must complete an in-depth questionnaire in a timely manner
• Conducting a 15-minute video activation call with a Meowtel team member

Every reservation booked and paid for on Meowtel at a rate of $20 or above per visit, inclusive of sitter discounts and holiday surcharges, qualifies for the benefits of our Meowtel Promise, which includes Insurance Coverage.

• Kittens: Drop-in twice per day or overnight stays
• Seniors: Drop-in twice per day or overnight stays
• Healthy, self-sufficient: Drop-in once per day or every other day
• Healthy, likes attention: Drop-in twice per day or overnight stays
• Special/Wet food diets: Drop-in twice per day
• Medication: Varies on frequency of medications
• Diabetic: Drop-in twice per day or overnight stays
• Special needs: Drop-in twice per day or overnight stays

Still not sure which service type your cat will need? Email [email protected] or call/text us at 1-844-MEOWTEL.

Yes. Your sitter will send you at least one photo/video and one text update after each visit. (Many sitters choose to send multiple photos and/or videos!) You may also ask your sitter for specific photos or updates for more peace of mind, such as before and after photos of your cat(s) food and litter box(es).

Meowtel is a cat-centric platform and we can only guarantee that our sitters are qualified with cats. Therefore, we are unable to provide services for households that only have pets other than cats.

As for households with other pets in addition to cats, it depends on the sitter. Before reserving a sitter, tell them about how to take care of your other pets and ask them whether or not they feel comfortable with it. Please note that any pets, other than the cats listed on the reservation, are not covered by our insurance.

To learn how to contact a sitter before making a reservation, click here.

*Only eligible reservations qualify for the Meowtel Promise.

As you prepare to have your Meowtel sitter care for your kitties while you’re away, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Ensure you have completed the Vet Release Form for emergencies, and share your emergency contact(s) with your sitter.

• Ensure you have stocked up on enough supplies for the duration of your reservation; food, treats, litter, litter disposal bags, cat toys, and medication if required.

• Complete your cat’s profile to include all care instructions.

• If your kitty requires medication(s), please share specific instructions, tips and best practices for administering their meds with your sitter.

Your sitter will contact you right away and check if there is a spare key, alternate access point, or a property manager with a backup key. We also ask sitters to notify Meowtel immediately in these situations.

If there are no spare keys or alternate entry options, sitters will work with you to call the nearest locksmith to get a new key made or have the lock replaced.

Sitters are 100% responsible for calling and paying for the locksmith or a replacement key if they lose, misplace, damage a client's key, or accidentally lock themselves out (e.g., leaving the key inside the home). This includes any situation related to theft or an unexplained loss of a client's key.

If the entry issue is due to a faulty key or faulty lock, or if the client does not leave a key for their sitter, the client will be responsible for resolving the issue and paying for it.

We highly recommend completing the Vet Release Form before the start of your reservation.

If your kitty becomes sick or injured during your reservation, and the symptoms appear to be life-threatening, your sitter will immediately take your cat to the vet listed on your Vet Release Form. 

If the Vet Release Form has not been completed, the sitter and/or Meowtel will call the cat parent immediately for guidance on where to take the cat.* 

Note: Sitters are not legally authorized to transport a cat to a veterinary clinic or animal hospital without a completed Vet Release Form. Additionally, many vet clinics will not begin treatment without the cat parent’s written consent.

Should your cat(s) require veterinary care during a reservation, we recommend that clients compensate their sitter as follows:

For emergency vet visits that are between 30-60 mins, sitters should be compensated for a visit at their 60 min rate.

For emergency vet visits that are longer than an hour, sitters should be compensated using their 20 min rate multiplied by each 20 min increment of time spent on the emergency vet visit. For example, if a sitter spends 2 hours (120 minutes) on an emergency vet visit and their 20 min rate is $25, fair compensation would be (120 minutes / 20 min) = 6 x $25 = $150.

*Only eligible reservations qualify for the Meowtel Promise.

Cats love having small spaces to hide, as it helps them to feel calm and secure. Please share your cat’s possible hiding spots (closets, under beds, in basements, laundry rooms, etc), and your sitter will do their best to locate your kitty.

We suggest sharing these possible hiding spots during the Meet & Greet so your sitter can take note of them before the reservation starts.

If you feel uncomfortable with your sitter at any point, or if you don’t think they’re a purrfect fit for your cat(s), please call 844-MEOWTEL (1-844-636-9835) as soon as possible so we can cancel the reservation, help you rebook with another sitter, and provide support.*

*Only eligible reservations qualify for the Meowtel Promise.

Yes! If your Meowtel cat sitter services your friend’s area, we’re sure they would appreciate the referral. (And if they don’t service your friend’s area, we might have other sitter options for them!) 

As a reminder, please be sure to keep all referrals on the Meowtel platform, and never share your sitter’s personal contact information directly with anyone. Meowtel customer support and insurance is only valid for reservations placed on our platform.*

*Only eligible reservations qualify for the Meowtel Promise.

Aside from the Meowtel Promise that will give you peace of mind while you're away, Meowtel sitters are cat people, just like you! Since our pet sitters specialize in cats and cats only, you can rest assured that your kitty will be in the hands of someone who understands and appreciates their quirks. Additionally, all of the cat sitters in our network have been fully vetted, including a criminal background check and video call with our team of sitter specialists. If you aren't 100% satisfied with the sitter you've selected after your free Meet & Greet, our support staff will assist you with our 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Cats are territorial creatures, meaning that they typically prefer to stay in their home environment. Leaving your cat at home under the care of a Meowtel cat sitter means that you are sure they will be safe and comfortable in their surroundings. Your Meowtel cat sitter will provide photo and text updates with each visit, letting you know that your cat is receiving proper food, fresh water, playtime, litter box cleaning, and medication if applicable. Plus, you'll likely come home to find a very happy cat, ready to greet you at the door!

During each visit, your Meowtel pet sitter will serve your cat fresh food and water (per your instructions during the Meet & Greet), clean the litter box, give your cat playtime (and cuddles, if allowed!), administer any requested medications, and send you at least one photo and a text update.