Meelo
Keeping your cats safe while you're away.
UI/UX Design
Role
Full-Stack Designer
Time
1 Month, June 2025
Software
Figma
As a cat owner, it’s hard to travel without worrying.
While cats are known for being independent, most owners still feel uneasy about leaving them behind. It's not just about food and water, it’s the peace of mind that someone who understands cats is checking in. Asking non-cat friends often feels awkward, since they might not know the details or feel fully comfortable.
The Challenge
How can I help cat owners travel with less stress, knowing their pets are truly cared for?
Research
Understanding the market
To better shape my solution, I researched existing apps that aim to help pet owners with care while traveling. I found that when apps are used for both cats and dogs, most are heavily geared toward dog owners, with very few options tailored specifically for cats. The needs of cat owners are often overlooked, which further emphasized the need for me to bridge this gap.
Implementation
Playful yet modern branding
I wanted the app to feel like a warm, welcoming space to foster a community for cat owners. The color palette is inspired by real cat colors like white, black, grey, and orange. (Also one of my cats is ginger, so the orange felt especially fitting to be the primary colour(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶))
Rounded shapes and soft sans-serif fonts help create a friendly, approachable feel, while the clean, simple layout keeps it modern and trustworthy.
Improving Clarity Through User Feedback
In my low-fidelity wireframes, I initially aimed to keep all the buttons consistent across different forms. However, this approach limited my ability to clearly communicate the meaning of each type of "care." To address this, I added an info icon to provide additional explanations.
During user testing, many people were still confused at first and didn’t instinctively click the info icon. This insight led me to move away from simply repeating the same form layout and instead prioritize making the content immediately understandable.
Another example was the design of the pet information cards. Initially, I went for a minimal layout that only displayed the pet’s image and name, assuming users would click on a card if they were interested in learning more.
However, during user testing, many participants expressed a preference for seeing key details up front, rather than navigating to a separate page filled with unnecessary information. Based on this feedback, I revised the design to present the most relevant information at a glance, reducing the need for extra interaction.
Final Product
Peace of Mind
This product offers a stress-free solution for cat owners planning trips, making it easier to leave their pets in trusted hands. The app connects users with reliable sitters and provides ongoing updates, so owners can travel with peace of mind knowing their cats are safe, happy, and well cared for.
Effortless Sitter Matching
Cat owners are easily guided through the process to help them find the perfect sitter for their pets. With a variety of specific care types available, there’s a solution for keeping every cat safe while their owner is away. The ability to browse all available options and quickly contact potential sitters creates a smooth and stress-free experience.
Efficient Onboarding
With a minimal, step-by-step form, cat owners can efficiently add their pet’s information. By keeping the process simple and straightforward, it avoids feeling like a tedious task and ensures that key details are clearly communicated for the rest of the user experience.
Real time Updates
Here, cat owners can receive live updates from their sitters beyond just messaging. Features like a countdown timer show exactly when you'll be reunited with your cat. Sitters can also share photos, giving owners a glimpse into their cat’s day-to-day activities and providing peace of mind through regular, personal updates.
Building Trust
By offering direct and accessible communication, users can quickly ask questions, share important details about their cats, and build a sense of trust before making any commitments. This approach not only makes the experience more personal, but also helps users feel more at ease knowing exactly who will be caring for their pet while they're away.
Key Takeaways and Future Plans
The idea for the project came from my personal experience living with cats, which helped keep me focused. It felt meaningful and relevant, and that connection made the process even more engaging. Through this journey, I not only learned more about myself as a designer, but also about how I work when I’m the one setting the pace.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was staying motivated. Without a formal deadline or a team relying on me, it was easy to lose motivation. There were days I struggled to find the drive to continue, and I questioned whether I’d finish in time since technically nothing was at stake. But over time, I realized that once I sat down and re-engaged with the work, I truly enjoyed it. That shift reminded me why I started this project in the first place.
I gave myself a one-month timeline for this project to challenge myself and see what I could accomplish within a limited timeframe. While there's definitely more I could have explored, I stayed focused on my initial goal: designing a user experience for those in need of pet sitters.
If I were to continue developing this project, I would expand the UI to include features for users who want to become sitters. Right now, the interface is entirely geared toward those looking for care. But as the project has evolved, I’ve seen its potential to grow into a more well-rounded platform that supports seamless interactions for sitters as well.