Pet Grooming Orange County

Should You Let Your Cat Outside?

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There’s a lot of debate over whether or not it’s a good idea to let your cat go outside. While many people believe it’s cruel to keep your cat inside, the statistics and facts prove otherwise. Allowing your cat to go outside exposes them to numerous dangers, reducing their lifespan and putting other animals at risk.

While most pet parents have good intentions when they let their cat outdoors, there are numerous reasons why you shouldn’t. Below, we detail the top reasons why it’s better to keep your cat indoors.

Reduced Lifespan

Allowing your cat outdoors reduces their lifespan by as much as three to five years. Every single time a cat is put outside, their life is at risk. Common dangers include vehicles, other animals, diseases, and ill-intentioned people. While not every cat that goes outside will get killed, their chance of being injured is extremely high.

Reduction in Bird Populations

Cats are natural hunters. Unfortunately, even the best fed housecat will hunt and kill other animals for sport. While you might think that this is a small problem, it’s actually quite large. Cats kill an approximate 1 to 4 billion birds each year in the United States. This not only affects bird populations, it increases the amount of insects we have to deal with, as birds often feed on these common pests.

Overpopulation

Cats reproduce extremely fast. Many people don’t realize that cats can become pregnant at just four months old. Once they give birth, they can reproduce almost instantly, producing a large amount of offspring in just a short amount of time.

It’s important to have your cat spayed or neutered, even if they never go outdoors. Cats are excellent escape artists and will find a way out if they have the opportunity to reproduce. Spaying and neutering reduces the desire to go outdoors and eliminates the chance of reproduction.

Cats Can Easily Become Trapped or Lost

Cats like to squeeze into tight spaces. They will often follow small critters into unfamiliar territory. Once a cat becomes trapped or lost, they often don’t make it home.

Final Thoughts

Many people believe that cats become bored when left indoors. This is true for both outdoor and indoor cats. Cats need regular interaction. Keep your cat happy by playing with them daily. Claws N Paws Day Spa offers a variety of toys for your cat. Please visit our grooming salon to see our selection.

 

 

 

Why It’s So Important to Spay or Neuter Your Cat

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Unspayed female cats become pregnant extremely easily. If your unfixed cat is allowed to go outside, chances are pretty good you’ll end up with at least one litter. These litters can vary in size from one to over ten kittens. It’s extremely difficult to figure out what to do with these kittens once they are born. Most people do not have the time, space, or money to care for multiple cats.

Unfortunately, many unplanned litters are abandoned at the shelter or left to fend for themselves on the street. These cats face horrible lives and are often killed by wild animals, vehicles, or ill-intentioned people. This is just one of the reasons why it’s so important to have your cat spayed or neutered.

Even if your cat that is not allowed outdoors, if they aren’t spayed they’ll most likely find a way out. This has nothing to do with how obedient they are or how much they love you. When a cat goes into heat, it’s instincts take over. These instincts tell them to reproduce. Unfortunately, this instinct doesn’t understand overpopulation or the fate that most unwanted kittens face in our world.

The Danger of Giving Kittens Away For Free

Everyday, kittens are given away for free. Many of these kittens face horrible futures. Several are abused or used for animal testing in labs. Awful people frequently pay decent individuals to answer Craigslist ads or collect kittens advertised for free.

While the family giving away these kittens believes that the person they are giving them to has the best intentions, this isn’t always the case. A simple search on Google brings up multiple incidents where kittens were given to seemingly “good homes” only to end up in a horrible situation.

Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Your Cat

Spaying and neutering your cat prevents them from becoming pregnant. It also fixes behavior problems such as spraying urine and aggressive behavior. Ideally, cats should be spayed or neutered at four months old, before they reach maturity. However, this procedure has been proven safe in cats of all ages.

If Your Cat is Already Pregnant

If your cat is already pregnant it’s important that you keep them inside. Follow your veterinarian’s advice for care. Once the kittens are born, do not ever offer them for free. Charge an adoption fee and make sure that you interview the people adopting your kittens. This is extremely important for their safety.

 

Should Your Dog Be Allowed in Your Pool?

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Should Your Dog Be Allowed in Your Pool?

Temperatures have been at an all time high in Southern California. If you are one of many lucky Orange County residents with access to a swimming pool, you might have wondered whether or not your dog would enjoy going for a swim.

Swimming is excellent exercise for both people and dogs, and it can provide a welcome relief from the scorching heat. Before allowing your dog in your swimming pool, there are a few things you need to consider.

Safety

Pets and wild animals can easily fall into your swimming pool. Once inside, they might not be able to find a way out. Unfortunately, animals die in backyard swimming pools all the time. It’s crucial that your pet is not permitted alone around your pool.

Safety gates and fences provide an effective way to keep animals from entering your pool without permission.

Cleanliness

No matter how clean you think your dog might be, they will still bring about three times more dirt and bacteria into your pool than the average person. When dogs swim, they leave behind fecal matter, insects, body oils, hair, and more. Unless you have an industrial strength filter, this contamination can stay in your pool for a very long time.

Contamination in your pool increases the chance of spreading disease. Contaminated water can lead to diarrhea as well as infections of the skin, ears, and upper respiratory tract. If you allow your dog to swim in your pool, you will need to add more sanitizer than usual.

Rinse

It’s a good idea to rinse your dog after they’ve been swimming in your pool. Just like humans, the chemicals used to keep your pool clean can irritate your dog’s skin and eyes. After swimming, gently rinse your dog with clean, fresh water.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming at our full service grooming salon in Fountain Valley, California. Our groomers can help keep your pet clean and comfortable this summer. Our services include bathing, brushing, and summer haircuts. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment today.

 

 

Litter Box Training your Kitten

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Litter Box Training your Kitten

Cats and kittens are naturally very clean and will probably already know how to use a litter box by the time you bring them home. Typically, all you need to do is provide a litter box that is big enough for them to move around in, with enough litter to fill the bottom of the pan.

Keep in mind that even the best behaved kitten will sometimes have accidents. Never scold your kitten for these accidents as this will only make the problem worse. Instead, praise your kitten each time they use their litter box and offer treats or pieces of dry cat food as a reward. This will get them back on track in no time at all.

Litter Box Training

It’s a good idea to have one more litter box than you have cats. For example, if you have two cats then you should have three litter boxes. When you bring your new kitten home you will need to show them where the litter boxes are located. It might also be helpful to put your kitten in the litter box after meals.

For best results, keep the litter box in a quiet location, away from your pet’s food, water and bedding. You will also need to keep the litter box clean. Many cats and kittens will refuse to use a dirty litter box.

When They Just Won’t Use the Box

If your kitten is refusing to use the litter box it’s a good idea to start by making some adjustments. Try different types of litter and litter boxes. Cats can be picky about smells as well. If you are using a strong smelling detergent to clean the box, this could be the reason that they have stopped using it. Only use unscented, mild detergent to clean litter boxes. Never use harsh disinfectants as these can be harmful to your pet.

If simple adjustments don’t work, then it’s time to take your cat to its veterinarian. Cats and kittens that are suffering from urinary tract infections or other illnesses will often stop using their litter box. Your vet can rule out any underlying conditions.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers quality pet grooming from our full service pet grooming salon in Fountain Valley, CA. For your convenience, we also offer mobile grooming to many parts of Orange County. Our professional groomers have many years of experience working with cats and kittens. To schedule your pet’s first grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

Why You Should Adopt A Cat

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Why You Should Adopt A CatArthur

Cats are typically regarded as low maintenance pets, ideal for people that are too busy to care for a dog. However, the decision to adopt a cat should never be taken lightly. The average house cat lives between twelve and twenty years, meaning that a cat is a long term commitment. Before adopting a cat, you should consider the following.

Even though cats seem aloof, they are social creatures that require your companionship. If you spend most of your day away from home, then you should probably reconsider your decision to adopt, or adopt a pair of cats so that they can keep each other company.

Because cats have a natural instinct to scratch, even if you provide your cat with a scratching post you can still expect some damage to your furniture and carpeting. Declawing a cat or kitten is considered inhumane by most professionals, so you should be prepared to deal with the inevitable damage your cat might inflict.

You will need to determine an easily accessible spot for a litter box. If you have multiple cats then you will need more than one litter box. Keep in mind that the waste will need to be scooped daily from litter boxes.

Before adopting you should consider the financial commitment involved with adoption. There are the ongoing costs of food, veterinary care, cat litter, scratching posts and pet sitting. In addition, if you adopt a kitten, you will have to budget for spaying or neutering as well as the necessary vaccinations.

Before adopting, be prepared to keep your cat safe. Statistics show that cats that go outdoors do not live as long as indoor cats. Cats and kittens should be kept indoors to prevent infectious diseases, parasites and accidents.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has been taking care of Orange County’s dogs and cats since 2001. We offer full service pet grooming at our state of the art pet salon in Fountain Valley, California. Additionally, we offer mobile pet grooming to all areas of Orange County. Claws N Paws also has many wonderful cats and kittens available for adoption. Two doors down from our pet salon we have a consignment shop offering several unique and interesting items. 100% of the profits from all pet supply sales at This n That Consignment go directly into our rescue efforts! For more information, or to schedule your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005 today.

Is your Cat Over-Grooming Itself?

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Is your Cat Over-Grooming Itself?11_07_07

Cats groom themselves for several different reasons. The most common reasons are to remove dirt and debris from their coat, to regulate their body heat and to remove themselves from a stressful situation. However, sometimes the grooming becomes excessive. If your cat is over-grooming one particular area or if it is beginning to remove its fur, your cat could be suffering from something more serious such as fleas, allergies or too much stress. The best way to determine why your cat is over-grooming itself is to consult with your veterinarian. Let’s take a closer look at the most common reasons that cats over-groom.

Fleas

Both outdoor and indoor cats can come into contact with fleas. Fleas attach themselves to a cat’s skin and suck their blood. When a flea’s saliva comes into contact with the cat’s skin, it can cause an allergic reaction. The cat will over-groom itself, sometimes removing its fur, to relieve the itching. Eliminating fleas on your cat and in your home is the only way to stop this type of over-grooming.

Pregnancy

Female cats that are pregnant will constantly groom their genitals in order to prepare themselves for the impending birth. Although this type of grooming might seem excessive it is completely normal.

Stress

One of the leading causes of over-grooming in cats is stress. Stress grooming, or psychogenic alopecia occurs during an extremely stressful period in a cat’s life such as a move or the introduction of a new pet. During stressful times, a cat might focus on one specific area and lick the spot excessively, sometimes removing its fur or causing injury. Cats that suffer from this type of condition typically focus on their abdomen and the inside of their legs.

Ticks

Like fleas, ticks can cause a cat to obsessively groom one area. Ticks are parasites that attach themselves to a cat’s skin and drink their blood. This can cause an allergic reaction that leads to over-grooming.

Food Allergies

Cats commonly develop allergies to the ingredients in commercial cat food such as chicken, fish, corn, wheat and beef. These allergies can appear without warning in cats as young as five months or as old as fifteen years. Giving a cat the same food every day for several months or several years makes it more likely that your cat will develop allergies. When a cat develops a rash from food allergies it will obsessively lick at its paws, legs and stomach.

Claws N Paws Day Spa has been grooming dogs and cats in Orange County, California since 2001. For more information or to schedule your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005 today.

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