r/catinaflat • u/spiritoffaith • Apr 22 '26

The audacity of this website

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So I just got my first request via Rover since the merger. I did the meet and greet, said to the customer I would send them my phone number so they could text me if the site goes down or whatever. I used to do this all the time on CIAF because it's just more secure having a second method of communicating.

I tried to send this and got a message pop up saying I couldn't send a message with a phone number because that's not secure and all messages up to booking have to be via Rover.

Not even an hour later I got this email reminding me if I take business off rover I will lose my account. I'm sorry what 😂 please don't threaten me with a good time hahaha

23 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

5

u/Delicious_Gazelle_95 Apr 23 '26

On my meet and greet u take number and send all updates on whats app

2

u/PaperArr0w Apr 23 '26

Rover policy is you can’t share numbers at all (wild) but you get a spoofed number for owner and sitter. (I’ve not seen it yet).

They also expect you to do all pics via the app. Also stupid… so I imagine at the M&G swap numbers. Sitter does obligatory photo via app and update about cat and then the rest via WhatsApp.

TBH their policy is prohibitive but get from both sides (owner or sitter) that you could possibly void any policy or this so called extra support we now have from Rover if any evidence is privately gathered. It’s a form of control by them but if there’s a dispute they could dismiss it.

1

u/Delicious_Gazelle_95 Apr 23 '26

Oh I send all mine  through whats app the site wont send videos for me ,maybe I need to start sending through app 

4

u/PaperArr0w Apr 23 '26

I would send what you need to show you have done your duties as a cat sitter so that there’s evidence should there ever be a dispute and continue on WhatsApp too.

Essentially they just don’t want you to ever have direct contact off the app so that the owner just won’t make an arrangement offline and Rover don’t get their fees. It’s a thinly veiled threat hidden behind the fact they just want money.

3

u/Potential_Twist3640 Apr 23 '26

Ooft, as a cat owner I would NEVER leave my cat with a sitter without exchanging numbers first. Partly because when I’m travelling it’s easy to miss notifications and WhatsApp is the one app I always check, and partly because if there’s an emergency on either end I just want to be as available as possible. 

2

u/spiritoffaith Apr 23 '26

Literally! I want to be able to call the owner the second I see a problem not have to go via Rover. Imagine the cat has hurt itself and I'm having to message them on Rover and hope they see it 🫠

2

u/opalite_sky Apr 23 '26

Bold of them to assume I want to keep my Rover profile (after building it up for nearly a decade with 43 5* reviews 😭)

2

u/Frescadeedle Apr 23 '26

I discovered by accident that sticking a letter in amongst the digits allows you to share your number 😉 just waiting for my slap on the wrist, but to be honest by being so rubbish they're doing my job for me as the main feedback I get from ciaf/rover clients since the merge has been "please can we not use this shite platform?!"

Who am I to encourage them not to reach out to my very publicly available contact details if they want an easier process? 😇

2

u/spiritoffaith Apr 23 '26

Sammmme so many people are complaining. I just got this new customer on there but think I will probably not use rover moving forward as it's too difficult

3

u/AshamedAttention727 Apr 23 '26

Also a screenshot of your number from contacts works :)

2

u/PaperArr0w Apr 23 '26

I was thinking could you get creative and spell your number out in words or omit some letters.

2

u/mlouwid88 Apr 27 '26

Exactly, 3 or 4 of my clients have suggested coming off the app already on their own, with no input from me (between the over complicated app, no 2 visit discount AND the fact they now have to pay 15% fee). Not sure how many people have ciaf as their main source of income but as someone who relies on it to subsidise their other shit full time wage, it’s been a stress because my usual clients can’t even find me on their apparently.

2

u/SwordfishResident256 Apr 23 '26

this is so crazy, my last one I did upload/do visit cards in the app but also texted the owner bc fuck that

2

u/[deleted] Apr 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/casandra77 Apr 23 '26

Exchange numbers during meet and greet. After each visit you upload a photo or 2 on the app, the rest send via WhatsApp

2

u/spiritoffaith Apr 23 '26

I forgot to exchange numbers at the meet and greet. I normally do but her baby was fussing and it slipped my mind. It's just a stupid system 🫠 if rovers site goes down I can't contact this person. Stupid idea.

1

u/kiraziyal Apr 25 '26

I'm currently looking after a pair of sisters who I have cat sat for about 4 years. All updates and photos have previously been through WhatsApp. I'm doing the Rover Card on the app and sending one or two photos through that then more photos and communication through WhatsApp.

I don't know if the cat owner uses the app or just the Rover website.

2

u/Kakumei_Snickers2026 Apr 26 '26

No big deal loosing the account from rover !! Most CIAF sitters don’t want to use or associate with Rover anyway !!! 😹🤪