FAQ and refund policy

Find a Cat Whisperer, send an invite for a free meet & greet, and meet at your home. Once you're both happy, your Cat Whisperer sends you a quote for the dates. You pay by card to confirm the booking.

Your Cat Whisperer does. They set their own prices and you pay the quote they send. Nothing is added on top for cat parents.

Standard check-out is 10am, and the time on your quote is the one that counts. If you'll be home later, ask your Cat Whisperer before the stay about an extra night or an evening visit, so your cat is fed and settled when you arrive. They set the price, and they may already have another booking that day, so please ask early.

Payments are handled by Stripe. Cat Whisperer never sees or stores your card details. Your money is held safely and only paid to your Cat Whisperer 24 hours after the sit begins, so we can step in if something goes wrong.

We never store your street address. Cat Whisperers see only the suburb your cats live in, so they can decide whether to meet them. Once you both agree to a meet & greet, you send the address in a message. Cat parents never see a Cat Whisperer's phone number or contact details either. Messages stay in the app.

Yes. Your Cat Whisperer can post updates and photos on your booking during the stay, and you'll get an email to say there's a new one. You see them in the app, under Updates and photos on your booking. Your Cat Whisperer can also post for up to 3 days after the stay, if they remember something to tell you.

No. The price your Cat Whisperer quotes is the price you pay. There is no booking fee and nothing is added at checkout.

We take a flat 15% platform fee from the Cat Whisperer's share of each booking. It pays for the platform: finding each other, secure payment, messages, reviews and support.

Stripe processes the card payment and charges a card fee, roughly 1.7% + 30c for most Australian cards (it can be higher for overseas cards). The Cat Whisperer pays this fee, not the cat parent. It comes out of their share, and it is shown in their sit log.

On a $100 booking, the cat parent pays $100. Cat Whisperer's 15% is $15, and Stripe's card fee is about $2.00. The Cat Whisperer receives about $83, paid to their bank 24 hours after the sit begins. Their services page shows this estimate for any price they set.

If a refund is due, Stripe's fee on the refunded part is covered by us, not by the Cat Whisperer or the cat parent. See Cancellations and refunds below for how much is refunded.

How much you get back depends on how far ahead of the start time you cancel:

The time is counted from the booking's start time. You'll see the exact refund before you confirm a cancellation.

You always get a full refund, whenever they cancel. Cancellations are recorded on their profile, and we look closely at Cat Whisperers who cancel often.

Yes. Each booking gets one free date change. It isn't a cancellation. Tap Change dates on your booking and choose the new dates. The stay has to be the same length so the price stays the same, your Cat Whisperer has to be free, and the other person approves it. To change the length, cancel and rebook.

Nothing is charged. The quote is simply closed.

The same policy applies. We know plans change in the lead-up to Christmas and we're always happy to look at genuine hardship. Get in touch and we'll do our best to be fair.

Refunds go back to the card you paid with. Your bank usually shows them within 5 to 10 business days.

Contact us as soon as you can. Because payment is held until 24 hours after the sit begins, we can look into problems like a no-show before your Cat Whisperer is paid.

A free visit before your first booking. Your Cat Whisperer comes to your home, meets you and your cats, and sees where everything is. It's a chance for everyone to check it feels right, and for your cats to get to know a friendly face.

Cats are happier with someone they've met, and you'll feel better handing over your home and your cat's care to someone you've already spoken to. Once you've met, we know you and your Cat Whisperer know each other.

Independent cat carers who run their own small business, each with their own ABN. Every profile shows a photo and a bit about them, and you can read their reviews. You meet them before you book.

No. Messages stay in the app, and neither side sees the other's phone number or email. We never store your street address. You send it to your Cat Whisperer in a message once you both agree to a meet & greet.

Some can. Profiles show whether a Cat Whisperer can give insulin and other medication, and you can filter your search to find them. Talk through the details at your meet & greet so you're both comfortable.

You are responsible for your cat, including vet costs, and most people are happy to do the right thing by their cat. Cat accidents are rare, but if something does happen, this is what your Cat Whisperer does:

1. Calls your cat's vet and asks to speak to a vet nurse, explaining the situation. Vets don't charge for this call.
2. The vet nurse says whether your cat needs to be brought in or not.
3. Once your Cat Whisperer has the information, they let you know straight away, so you know what's happening.
4. If your cat goes to the vet, the vet can call you directly, talk you through the care and arrange payment with you.

It's a good idea to leave your vet's name and number where your Cat Whisperer can find it.

It's rare, and Cat Whisperers know to stay calm and act quickly. This is what they do:

1. Check around the home straight away: the garden, under cars, sheds, bushes and neighbours' fences. Cats often stay close, hiding, and come back when it's quiet.
2. Let you know straight away through the app, so you know what's happening and can give any tips about where your cat likes to hide.
3. Keep searching and, if needed, check with neighbours and local vets.
4. Keep you updated until your cat is back inside.

You can help by telling your Cat Whisperer about any door or window your cat tries to slip through, and by making sure your cat's microchip details are up to date.

That's up to you. It's your home and your cats, so you decide what works best. You might hand over a spare key at your meet & greet if a sit is coming up soon, or leave a key in a safe place for the day your Cat Whisperer arrives.

We recommend a wall-mounted lock box with a PIN, fixed securely to the wall. Whatever you choose, make sure your Cat Whisperer can get in to reach your cats, and has a safe place to leave the key when the visit or sit is finished.

Each Cat Whisperer runs their own business with their own ABN and is responsible for their own insurance. You're welcome to ask to see proof of their insurance before you book. It's your choice, and it's reasonable to ask.

A 15% platform fee, plus Stripe's card fee (roughly 1.7% + 30c) taken from your share. On a $100 booking you receive about $83. Your services page shows an estimate for any price you set, and your sit log shows every fee line by line. Cat parents pay exactly what you quote.

Your payout is sent to your bank through Stripe 24 hours after the sit begins. Make sure your payout details are connected from your dashboard.

Yes. The Income and expenses page on your dashboard (your sit log) lists every booking with the booking total, our fee, Stripe's fee and what you were paid. You can download it as an Excel spreadsheet to keep for your own records, or to give to your accountant.

You can enter the kilometres you drove for each sit, and the spreadsheet works out an expense using the ATO's cents-per-kilometre rate. The kilometres are your own figure, so change them to match the route you actually took, whether you travelled from home or from another sit. Add the extra trips too, such as a meet & greet, or collecting a key before a sit.

We don't track where you drive. The spreadsheet is a record-keeping aid. You are responsible for your own income, expenses and tax records, so check the ATO's rules or ask your accountant. This is general information, not tax advice.

If they cancel late, you keep the part of the booking that isn't refunded, less the platform fee and your share of Stripe's fee. It shows in your sit log as a late cancellation. Stripe's fee on any refunded part is covered by Cat Whisperer, not you.

You can cancel any time from the booking. The cat parent gets a full refund and a cancellation is recorded on your profile. If your dates need to change, talk to the cat parent first. A date change is not a cancellation.

Yes. Cat Whisperers work for themselves as sole traders, running their own business. You are not employed by Cat Whisperer, and you need an ABN to take bookings. You add your ABN on your profile page. It's private, and Cat Parents never see it. You are responsible for reporting your own income and expenses to the ATO. It's free to apply for an ABN at the Australian Business Register.

If you trade under a name other than your own, like "Your Name Cat Sitting", you may need to register the business name with ASIC.

As a sole trader you may have tax deductions to claim, such as travel to your sits. See the ATO's business deductions guide, or ask your accountant. This is general information, not tax advice.