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Have questions? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions from cat owners in regards to their cat's grooming needs, and our educated answers to them!
I thought cats cleaned themselves and didn't need grooming... right??
Every cat can benefit from professional grooming services! Whether your cat is long-haired, short-haired, or even hairless! While it is true that cats do indeed lick themselves, they do not clip their own nails, clean their own ears, remove excess dirt, oils, saliva, feces, urine, matting, or undercoat from their body.
Cats hate water.....right???
While at first, cats may be nervous, scared, or cautious about water, but once they are properly introduced to it, they realize that water isn't going to hurt them. Once that happens, they warm up to it! You'd be surprised; a lot of cats enjoy their bathtime! We would ensure we help your cat get comfortable around bath time. We've even had clients tell us that after their first bath with us, they are more comfortable (and even curious) about water at home!
Cats only need to be groomed once a year
Actually, cats benefit from grooming regularly, just like a dog! According to the National Cat Groomer's Institute, your cat should be groomed regularly every 6-8 weeks and your cat's nails should be clipped once a month.
Do you require proof of vaccines?
Yes, we require proof of your cat's rabies vaccine. We do not accept tags, only the certificate you received from your veterinarian. If your cat does not qualify for the vaccine, we require proof of a titer test by your veterinarian and a document stating they do not qualify due to health reasons signed by your vet. Don't have their paperwork handy? No problem! You can call your vet and have them email it to you, or us at purrrcatgrooming@gmail.com.
What if my cat freaks out? They've never been groomed before..
If your cat is nervous about any step of the grooming process, be rest-assured knowing we will do everything we can to ease their stress. We are trained on different techniques to expertly groom your cat at low stress levels and ease them into the grooming process. We listen to your cat's body language and adjust how we groom them accordingly. If you know beforehand how your cat reacts to certain things, like nail trimming, touching their belly or butt, loud noises, etc., let us know at drop off so we can be better prepared to groom your cat to ensure their comfort.
I am allergic to my cat, will grooming help?
Yes!! You are allergic to a protein in their saliva called Fel D 1, so when they lick themselves, it gets all over their hair. The allergen can become airborne or attach to surfaces in your home especially when they shed. Regular grooming cleans the protein off their coat and reduces shedding by getting all of their dead undercoat out, therefore reducing the allergens in your home! We recommend getting your cat bathed at least once a month for allergy maintenance.
How long does a grooming appointment take?
A typical full groom appointment can take anywhere from 1-2 hours, give or take, depending on each cat. Since we groom intuitively with your cat, we listen when they need a break. We will let you know when your cat is all ready to go!
If your cat is coming in for just an a la carte service, it typically only takes 5-10 minutes! You can stay in our lobby while you wait.
My cat is matted! Can we avoid shaving?
Unfortunately, if your cat is matted, the safest and only option is to shave under the mats. Most cats will not tolerate any de-matting as it is painful. Sometimes, what you think is mats, is actually just impacted undercoat. Impacted undercoat is undercoat on your cat that wants to release and shed, but can't. It gets trapped in your cat's fur, becoming mats over time. A lot of times, we can release that undercoat with a bath and brush appointment, but sometimes we do have to shave it off. Unsure? Ask us when you drop your cat off! We can usually tell if we can release the coat or if it'll have to be shaved by just touching your cat.
My cat is really aggressive... do you groom aggressive cats?
​Yes we do! We love the spicy kitties. If you are worried, you can always ask your vet to prescribe gabapentin for their visit. Gabapentin has been used for years for cats in stressful situations. It helps block their Gaba receptors, which is their "fight or flight" response. We recommend pre-treating them with gabapentin with dinner the night before, and then 2 hours before their appointment.
We are trained in grooming aggressive cats using different techniques. However, we do not push them past their emotional threshold. If we feel your cat is too aggressive or stressed at any point during their groom, we will stop the groom and from that point we can speak to you about recommendations for future appointments.
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Can I stay and watch while my cat is being groomed?
We do not allow clients to be present in the grooming room during your cat's visit due to safety concerns. ​You are more than welcome to stay in our lobby while your cat is being groomed. With that being said, if you do stay in our lobby, you may hear some sad sounding meows or hissing from your cat. Sometimes that can be hard to hear from as a cat parent, we understand! If you have a hard time hearing your cat, we kindly ask you wait outside of our salon until your cat's grooming is complete.
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