Frequently Asked Questions
Greasy skin and coat combined with natural shedding causes matting. Once a small tangle or mat forms, it grows very quickly. The only real defense against tangles and mats is regular bathing and drying done by a professional cat groomer who truly knows what they are doing. Some groomers are not cat groomers and will groom a cat using products and techniques that can cause more problems. Make sure your cat groomer is certified through the National Cat Groomers Institute of America, inc, the only cat grooming association that offers effective, quality training for cat grooming certifications.
Contrary to popular belief, most cats do not mind being bathed. In fact, many are very calm during the bathing process and seem to find it relaxing. We use special techniques to introduce a cat to the bathing process each time, until we can see that they are used to it. We know from experience that cat owners report they have a very happy cat after it returns home from a day at the spa.
We use the Catty Shack Vac patented drying system designed specifically for cats. In fact, we are the only grooming salon in Fairfax County that uses the Catty Shack Vac, which means we can offer the most efficient drying process and produce the highest quality groom in the end.
We do not sedate cats. In reality, very few cats truly do need any sort of sedative in order to be groomed. We handle each cat in such a way that the need for drugs of any kind rarely happens. If we do think your cat would best be served by receiving medication, we will refer you to your veterinarian for a mild sedative that can be administered prior to the grooming appointment.
It can hurt your cat to NOT be groomed. Cats that are not groomed are prone to serious matting problems, skin conditions, painful ingrown nails, and a variety of other problems that, if left unattended, can cause irreversible damage or even death.
A cat that is groomed regularly (approximately every 6 weeks) will not suffer from such
problems. Because the groomer is handling the cat on a regular basis and looking over every inch of its body during each visit, health issues that may arise can be found early on, and the likelihood of effective intervention is increased.
We typically allow 2 hours for your appointment if you have only one cat. If you bring in two or more, or the cat is severely pelted or matted, the groom time may take longer. Once we see your cat/cats in person, we will be able to give you a time for pick-up. We believe cats are better served by not being away from their normal home environment any longer than possible, and therefore strive to complete each groom in an efficient and timely manner.
Most cats need to be professionally groomed every 6 weeks or less.
Most of the time we can. We can usually tell when we initially see your cat in person whether or not it can be safely handled.
Yes, that is our specialty.
The main benefit is having a happier, healthier cat that does not suffer from any of the painful and potentially life-threatening problems already mentioned. In addition, you will benefit as regular grooming cuts down on shedding, eliminates hairballs, reduces allergy problems, and helps promote a cleaner environment as well as a cleaner cat. The best part is, you don’t have to do any of the grooming yourself! Leave that up to us!