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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

In the Meowtel App: Navigate to the Menu in the lower right hand corner of the screen, then tap Public profile next to your profile photo.

In the Web Browser: Please visit your Sitter Dashboard and select View Sitter Listing in the left side menu

Go to Edit Sitter Listing in your Sitter Dashboard. Here are our best practices to make your sitter bio say meo-WOW to potential clients:

Do Talk About:

1. Your experience being a cat owner
2. Your experience as a cat sitter
3. Your cat medication experience
4. Your schedule constraints
5. The areas you can cover

Don't Discuss:

1. Competitors' websites
2. Boarding, kenneling, grooming, nail trimming, or any other service we do not offer
3. Social media handles
4. Promotion of other products or services you might sell
5. Scheduled veterinary visits
6. Dog walking or other services unrelated to cat sitting
7. Your contact information like your e-mail address or phone number

For more sitter bio inspiration, check out our blog post: Writing a Cat-tastic Bio

While logged into your Meowtel account, you may update your home address on the My Information screen (which is on the Cat Parent side of your account). 

Important: If you are moving or wish to service a new area, or if you no longer wish to service your current area, please be sure to update your Service Zones. If you are moving out of California, please contact [email protected] for assistance with changing your address.

Please visit your Sitter Dashboard > Sitter Photos on the website or mobile app and you will able to edit your profile and gallery photos.

Note: Sitter photos should only be of you and your favorite cats. Photos that include friends or partners will be asked to be removed.

For tips on choosing the purrfect sitter photos, check out our blog post.

To update your pricing, log into the Cat Sitter side of your Meowtel account on the website or mobile app. Navigate to the Rates tab, where you can adjust your rates and set your Holiday Price Adjustment percentage. If you have multiple Service Zones, you can customize pricing for each one.

To edit your services offered, go to the Availability Calendar tab in your Sitter Dashboard on the website or mobile app. Under Services Offered, you can select your preferences for weekdays and weekends.

Services:

1. 20, 45 or 60-minute drop-in visits
2. Overnight stays at the client’s home

Times of Day:

1. Morning Visits: 6am - 12pm
2. Midday Visits: 11am - 4pm
3. Evening Visits: 4pm - 10pm
4. Anytime Visits: 6am - 10pm

Your selections will automatically apply when you update your availability calendar. Meowtel cat sitters can create up to two Service Zones and customize their services and visit times for weekdays and weekends for each zone.

You may update your qualifications and medication experience by visiting your Edit Sitter Listing page, which can be accessed from your Sitter Dashboard.

To set up your coupon codes, visit the Coupon Codes section of your Sitter Dashboard on the website or mobile app. You can set up and fund custom discounts for:

1. New clients
2. Existing clients
3. A specific client
4. All clients

Each coupon is based on a percentage-off method, with a maximum discount of 25%. If you’d like to offer a larger discount, you can always adjust your rates.

How coupons impact your earnings:

Sitters fully fund their own coupons, meaning they impact your total earnings. For example, if your normal rate is $100 and you offer a 4% discount, your earnings would be calculated as:

($100 × Your Commission Tier %) - $4 = New Earnings

For a Tier 1 commission percentage, this would be:

($100 × 70%) - $4 = $66

For sitters in California, the discount will be applied to the display rate shown on your sitter listing. 

Here are some popular use case examples for the Coupon Code feature:

Attract New Clients

You can set up a coupon code just for new clients and then share it on social media or in your "About Me" section of your sitter listing. The settings you can use are as follows:

1. Percentage Off: You determine this value
2. Description: "I look forward to working with you as a new client!"
3. Auto-Apply At Checkout: Set by the sitter
4. How Many Times Can A Same Client Use This Code: 1
5. Minimum Booking Days Required: Put a value only if you want this to apply to a new client who books at least __ number of days with you
6. Minimum Number of Bookings Required: 0
7. Valid From: Today's date to 12/31/25
8. Who Can Use This Coupon? New Clients

Reward Your Favorite Clients

Do you love working with a specific client of yours? Giving them a unique code is a great way to show that you appreciate their business. The settings you can use are as follows:

1. Percentage Off: You determine this value
2. Description: "Thank you for being a valued client!"
3. Auto-Apply At Checkout: Set by the sitter
4. How Many Times Can A Same Client Use This Code: You determine this value
5. Minimum Booking Days Required: Put a value only if you want this to apply to a favorite client who books at least __ number of days with you
6. Minimum Number of Bookings Required: 1
7. Valid From: Today's date to 12/31/25
8. Who Can Use This Coupon? Specific Clients

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.

In order to give you flexibility and control over your cat sitting business, Service Zones allow you to select the exact zip codes for where you want to visit clients!

How do I set up or change a Service Zone?

1) Click/tap "Home" in your sitter dashboard menu (all Service Zones defaulted to the name Home, but you can rename this to anything you wish!)

2) Click/tap the map areas under the heading "Zip Codes Covered" areas that are blue on the map indicate your currently selected service area.

3) Click/tap blue areas if you wish to deselect them and exclude them from your Service Zone. You can also tap the little red "x" next to each zip code below the map to remove by listed zip code.

NOTE: If you are making adjustments in the Meowtel App, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page to tap the SAVE button after any changes are made!

You may select as many zip codes as you would like to service and at least 1 is always required. You may adjust your Service Zone whenever needed. You are only visible in client searches for the zip codes you have selected in blue.

What is a Second Service Zone?

A second Service Zone is great for sitters who would like to sit close to home on some days and closer to a work or school location on other days when they will be spending more time there. It can also be very useful for sitters who live near bridges or toll roads and would like to have higher rates for those areas where traveling back and forth is more expensive or time consuming. 

Setting up a second Service Zone will be especially helpful for those sitters who have a second home where they live for part of the year in another city or state, or if they travel back and forth between two specific locations quite often to spend time at a vacation home, family member's home, etc. It will no longer be necessary to have a separate sitter listing in order to serve clients in that second location! 

How do I set up a Second Service Zone?

A second Service Zone works just like the first one. You'll be able to customize your second Service Zone just with its own zip codes, visit types and durations, rates, and calendar availability. Each Service Zone will be set up separately and the second Service Zone is completely optional, so if you decide that you'd rather not set it up right now, that is perfectly fine. 

To set up a Second Service Zone, start by selecting "Add New Service Zone" to the right of "Home" in the Service Zone screen. Follow the same steps to select the zip codes by tapping on the map area. Please note that there is a separate Availability Calendar and Separate Rates to maintain for your Second Service Zone!

Additionally, there are a few extra steps to setting up a second Service Zone in a second city:

- Set up your first Service Zone

- Change the zip code in your account to the second city you want to include

- Set up your second Service Zone

- Change the zip code in your account back to your main home address

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 can update your profile information at any time by visiting the Sitter Mode within your account. Make sure to keep your profile current with any changes in your availability, rates, or services offered.

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!

Using the Meowtel Chat promotes clarity, security, and accountability for all interactions with clients. As a sitter, it helps you maintain a reliable record of agreements, care instructions, and updates. Keeping communication within the platform also ensures that Meowtel can provide support if any issues arise, offering an extra layer of protection and professionalism.

You can update your notification preferences right from the Meowtel app. Open the app and tap on the Menu > Notification Preferences. Toggle on or off the types of notifications you'd like to receive (email, push and SMS).

You can also update your notification preferences if you're using your web browser by going to your Menu > Notifications.

Make sure your device settings also allow notifications from Meowtel to ensure nothing gets missed!

There could be a few reasons why you aren't receiving notifications. First, open the Meowtel app and go to your Menu > Notifications to make sure your in-app notification preferences are enabled. Then, check the following:

1. Push Notifications

1. Make sure notifications are enabled for Meowtel in both the app and your device settings.
2. Check that features like Do Not Disturb (DND) or Silent Mode aren’t blocking alerts.

2. Text Messages

1. Confirm your phone number is correct in your profile.
2. Ensure SMS is not disabled or blocked (e.g., Airplane Mode or SMS restrictions).
3. Text START to (888) 703-6369 to re-opt into SMS alerts, then try again in 5–10 minutes.

3. Email Notifications

1. Check your spam or promotions folder.
2. Add @meowtel.com to your email's safe sender list.

Still not getting your alerts? Reach out to our support team at [email protected] or 844-636-9835 —we're happy to help!

If you haven't received your code, try these steps to get logged in:

Switch your verification method:

1. If you're logging in with your phone number, try switching to email, or vice versa.

For SMS codes when logging in with your phone number:

1. Make sure your phone number is correct in your profile.
2. Ensure Airplane Mode, Do Not Disturb, or similar settings aren't blocking texts.
3. Text START to (888) 703-6369 to re-opt into SMS alerts, then try again in 5–10 minutes.
4. Verify that notifications are enabled in both the Meowtel app (Menu > Notifications) and your phone's system settings.

For email codes when logging in with your email address:

1. Check your spam or promotions folder.
2. Add @meowtel.com to your email contacts to prevent filtering.

Still stuck? Don't worry, reach out to our support team at [email protected] or 844-636-9835 and we'll help you troubleshoot!