The Finest in Feline Grooming and Boarding

Where a groomed Cat is a happy Cat!

Q: How can I keep my cat’s coat from matting? All cats get greasy, both from the natural oils in their skin and coat as well as the oils from our hands when we pet them. As the cat’s coat naturally sheds, the grease causes the loose hair to clump up with the not-so-loose hair. Thus, a mat is born. And all little mats grow up to be big mats. If these clumps of hair are not removed early on, they just keep on clumping until they are close to the skin and threatening to overtake the entire cat. At this point, the expertise of the feline groomer is in order. Your job is to keep the mats from growing up and multiplying. To do this, a metal greyhound-type comb should be used on a regular basis. You want to be sure your are combing all the way through the coat rather than just combing the surface. Pay special attention to problem areas such as the armpits, back hips, belly, ruff and ear area. About once a week you should also sprinkle your kitty with some baby powder containing corn starch.  This helps absorb the oils. As an added benefit, kitty will smell as fresh as a baby’s bottom. The other “must” is regular bathing. Degreasing shampoos and a blow-dry will do wonders in getting your lap-warmer into a state of fluffiness without mattedness. Not only does a blow-dry get rid of all the loose hair that is hanging around, but it also reveals to the groomer where those sneaky little mats are hiding out, growing and waiting for the day they go to battle against the almighty clippers.

Q: How often should I have my cat groomed? Felines of the short-hair variety require much less grooming than their long-hair counterparts. Many clients like to schedule a lion-cut when the weather begins to warm up in the spring. Most cats take 4-6 months to regrow their coat to its original fullness and length. By this time cold weather is settling in, and the shedding is down to a minimum. The long- hair cat should be groomed every 6-8 weeks at that point, so as to keep the coat in good shape during the winter season. If you want to keep your cat in beautiful, full-coat condition year around, I always recommend professional grooming every 6 weeks during the warmer months and 6-8 weeks during the cooler months. The intervals between grooming sessions for short-hair cats can vary greatly, taking into consideration the greasiness of the coat, shedding, dandruff, and the overall cleanliness that is preferred by those who live with the cat.

Q: What are Softpaws? Softpaws are soft acrylic tips created by a veterinarian. They come in a variety of sizes for both dogs and cats. They also come in a variety of colors including clear.  They are applied to the trimmed nail thus creating a blunt, soft protective covering over the pet's nails. They are quite useful in preventing your furniture from being used as scratching post and are a great alternative to declawing.   On average we find that they are lasting about 6 weeks before they start to fall off. At that point, it is time for your kitty to need his nails trimmed anyway to prevent them from growing into the paw pad. (Yes, we see this all the time, and yes, it is very painful for your cat and can cause infections and other problems.) We recommend nail trimming at least every 6 weeks whether you want Softpaws or not.

Q: What is the FURminator? The FURminator is a wonderful tool that is used for removing the loose undercoat that is hanging around on your cat, waiting to fall off and cling to your sofa or new black pants at the most inopportune time.  Combined with a bath and blow-dry a la Catty Shack style, you will notice a definite decline in the amount of shedding that your cat does.  Since short-hair cats tend to shed MUCH more than long-hair cats, we find the FURminator to especially useful on them.