Grooming
To groom, or not to groom... that is the question.
Contrary to popular belief, cats do not groom themselves; They lick themselves and spread saliva all over their bodies. Cat saliva contains Fel D1 protein that promotes the allergic reaction in some humans. Licking the surface of the coat is also ineffective at removing grease that originates from the skin, which ultimately leads to painful mats and if left untreated, eventually pelts.
Why does matting occur? Cats naturally shed their coats, and a mat is simply the buildup of detached hair that was unable to fall off completely because it was caught in grease or a thick undercoat. Think of it as the same concept as dreadlocks on humans, which is why people wanting dreadlocks don't wash their scalps while they are attempting to form them. As the cat sheds over time, the buildup of trapped and tangled hair worsens, and mats form.
Do you have a greasy, matted or even pelted cat? Do you have difficulty trimming your cat's nails or even running a comb through their coat? Our goal is to both solve your cat's grooming issues without judgement passed on you the guardian, and to promote healthy skin and coat through education and a regular grooming schedule.
Grooming Menu
- Full Groom Includes nail trim, undercoat brush out, bath & blow dry, cleaning of the ears and eyes. Any de-matting and/or degreasing will be charged extra.
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- Medium / Long Hair $60
- Short Hair $50
- *Sedation by Licensed Veterinarian +$200
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- A $200 add-on to any grooming service (grooming fees are charged separately). Price includes an exam, sedation, vitals monitoring, sedation reversal, and after-care by a licensed mobile veterinarian in our facility (advance scheduling required).
- *De-matting $10 to $200
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- *A service add-on to a Full Groom. Prices vary depending on the severity and time it takes to restore the coat. Fees are determined by the severity of matting, temperament of the cat, and number of hours spent restoring the coat. For cats with any widespread pelting (mats tight against the skin), a Lion Cut is the only way to restore the coat and start fresh.
- *Degreasing $5 - $10
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- *A service add-on to a Full Groom: A pre-bath degreaser followed by a natural degreasing soap designed specifically for cats. Price will depend on the amount of time and product required to completely clean the coat.
- Lion Cut $120 (***see note below**)
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- Only performed in cases of extreme, wide-spread matting that cannot be addressed with the standard de-matting process. This is an extremely difficult groom for cats to go through because of the level and type of handling required, and because clippers are scary to cats. For those reasons, we only perform Lion Cuts only on an as-needed, medically necessary basis to "reset" cat coats that are severely matted across large areas of their bodies. Even if your cat has had many lion cuts in the past, our conscious will not allow it. Includes a full groom plus a full body shave with the exception of the tail poof, boots and mane.
- Sanitary Trim $20
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- Great for long hair cats or elderly cats prone to getting "cling-ons" and "dingleberries" stuck to their rear ends after going #2! This includes shaving of the area immediately around private parts and about 1 inch up the tail.
- Belly Shave $30
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- Undetectable when kitty is standing on all fours. Complete shave from sanitary area, clear up to the armpits to prevent matting and other unwanted catching of dirt etc under the body.
- Undercoat Brush Out $20
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- De-mating not included.
- Soft Paws See photo below. Soft paws are flexible plastic caps that cover the cat's nails as a humane alternative to de-clawing. Depending on the cat of course, most caps should last anywhere between 2-5 weeks.
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- Front Claws only (in clear) $25
- Front and Rear Claws (in clear) $30
- Sparkle Paws add $5 Choose from silver, gold, pink or blue glitter.
- Toe Tuft Trim $10
- Nail Trim $10
Our happy clients
Grooming FAQs
What is the cancellation policy for grooming appointments?
If you'd like to change your appointment, please contact us ASAP. There is no penalty for changing your appointment date/time as long as we have 24 hrs of notice. If you wish to cancel, please note that all cancellations are subject to a minimum $15 cancellation fee. Cancellations or reschedules with less than 24 hours notice, no-shows or cats arriving to appointments without proof of valid vaccinations may be charged the full amount of the scheduled service.
How often should my cat get groomed?
This will depend on a variety of factors such as your cat's skin and coat type, tolerance, indoor/outdoor, health and age. Anywhere from 4-6 weeks for long hair cats, to once every four months for short hair cats is recommended to keep the skin and coat healthy.
Are weekend appointments available?
Weekend appointments are currently booked for our clients that have cats on a regular 8-week schedule.
Why don't you do de-matting without a bath?
Dematting is an additional service attached to a full groom. There are several reasons we don't just spot shave out mats: First, we feel it's important to approach the problem of matting with the mindset of PREVENTING it from happening again because matting is so painful for the cats, and a squeaky clean cat = mat prevention. We also take pride in doing proper cat grooming that looks good and is done right (no hack jobs here), but most importantly, shaving out mats without fixing the root cause of the mat does absolutely nothing to help the cat (except very temporarily). Keeping the coat and skin clean, degreased, and free from dandruff and dead undercoat is the ONLY way to prevent mats from returning, and that's achieved with a professional degreasing bath using professional products and equipment.
Can you sedate? My cat is aggressive, but needs a groom/dematting badly.
Yes! With the help of our mobile vet partner. We just need plenty of advanced notice in order to schedule a time for Dr Victoria Staus of Furry Friends Mobile Vet to come to our grooming salon to administer. Her sedation fees are an estimated $200 which includes travel, exam, sedation, monitoring of vital signs throughout, reversal and after care.
If your cat doesn't require full sedation or "going under," your veterinarian may prescribe an oral sedative in anticipation for grooming, which is best to administer approximately 30 minutes prior to your appointment.
How soon can I get my cat in for an appointment?
Depending on the time of year, we can be booked out 2+ weeks for grooming appointments. *We do not discount our de-matting services because of appointment availability, as mats take a very long time to form.
What if my cat is shy and scares easily?
Cats have exquisite senses and can stress very easily. We highly recommend adding Zylkene to their food at least one week prior to your appointment to help facilitate adaption to the challenging situation of grooming. Zylkene is a natural product that comes in capsules you sprinkle over their food, proven to help manage stress in both cats and dogs. Its active ingredient is derived from milk protein casein, the same calming ingredient a kitten would get from their momma cat while nursing.
Vaccination Requirements
For the safety of our staff and because our salon and boarding area are under the same roof, proof of FVRCP and Rabies must be provided before we can groom your cat. Cats arriving to appointments without proof of valid vaccinations may be charged to full amount of the scheduled visit.
Can I drop off my cat in the morning and pick them up after work?
Yes! An average full groom should take about an hour, but if you don't have that kind of flexibility during your day, we're happy to put them up in one of our luxury boarding rooms as long as we have space. Standard room rates apply, but the after 12pm checkout fee does not.
My cat has some kind of sore, but I think a bath will help it. Can you do that?
Due to the risk of contamination, and in consideration of the other cats in the facility, we cannot. Cats found to have open sores, infections, scabs etc will have to be rescheduled until the condition resolves.
Why are Lion Cuts only done if medically necessary?
Some cats are great with lion cuts, but some cats are absolutely petrified by the sound and feel of clippers on their body, and by the amount of handling and restraint required to get it done. We can't, in good conscious, justify putting a cat through that kind of stress unless there is a medical necessity for it (they're severely matted or pelted) just for an owner to have less hair in the house, or because the owner thinks it will be cute.