Pet Grooming Orange County

Most Common Cat Grooming Questions

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Pet parents often have questions about grooming their cats. While cats don’t need as much grooming as dogs, they do require some basic care. This is especially true for long-haired breeds. Cats require regular brushing, nail trims, ear care, and occasional baths. In addition to keeping your pet happy and healthy, regular grooming helps expose skin issues, which can be uncomfortable for your pet.

As Orange County’s premier cat grooming salon, we meet a lot of new pet owners. The following details the most common cat grooming questions we hear.

When should I start grooming my cat?

It’s important to get your cat accustomed to grooming as early as possible. Hold your cat in your lap and brush them with a soft bristled brush. It’s normal for cats to think you’re trying to play. Continue brushing them, they will understand soon enough that this isn’t playtime.

Make sure you touch your cat’s feet, ears, and tail regularly so they get used to being handled. This will go a long way towards improving their grooming experience.

What do I do if I find mats in my cat’s coat?

Tangles can easily become mats if you do not regularly groom your cat. Mats are painful and can hide skin conditions. It’s important to remove all mats from your cat’s coat.

NEVER attempt to remove mats on your own. Cat skin is extremely thin. Bring your cat to an experienced groomer to have all mats removed.

Do cats really need baths?

Cats groom themselves a lot. This is why most people believe their cat does not need a bath. However, this isn’t always the case. Older and overweight cats might have more difficulty getting themselves clean. If your cat isn’t cleaning itself, oils can gather on the coat, contributing to body odor.

Can I use my shampoo to bathe my cat?

Human shampoos, even baby shampoo, are too harsh for your cat. It’s important to NEVER use human shampoo when bathing your cat. Use a shampoo that’s specially designed for use on cats.

What can I do if my cat struggles during its bath?

Most cats do not enjoy getting wet. It’s important to make bath time as stress-free and enjoyable as possible for your pet. Start slow and offer treats. Use basins filled with water as opposed to running water over your cat.

Contact your local grooming salon if you need help bathing your cat. Claws N Paws Day Spa has years of experience giving cats baths and haircuts. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment.

 

Can Placing a Litterbox Outside Convince a Lost Cat to Come Home?

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When your cat is lost, you’ll likely do whatever you can to get them back. Lately, a graphic has been traveling around social media explaining that placing their litter box outside will encourage your lost cat to come home. The image claims that cats can smell their litter box up to one mile away. If this seems too good to be true, you’re probably right. While cats can smell their litter box from quite some distance, it’s more likely that this method will do more harm than good. Read on to learn why.

Attracting Wild Animals

A litter box placed outside is more likely to attract wild animals and neighborhood strays than your lost cat. Animals like coyotes and mountain lions are drawn to the smell of urine. These animals can scare your cat away if it’s hiding somewhere in your yard. They can also cause serious harm to your cat.

You’ll want to keep your cat safe until it comes home. This includes not bringing wild animals into your yard.

Most Cats Stay Close to Home

Research shows that most indoor cats are found close to home. This means that your cat has likely found a hiding space in your either front or back yard. The best way to get your cat back is by using a live animal trap (available at your local shelter or feed store), or waiting until your cat comes home on its own.

When you put out your cat’s litterbox, you run the risk of bringing wild animals into your yard as mentioned above. This puts your cat at risk and increases the chance that they will run from the area. The further away your cat travels, the less likely they are to make it back home.

Final Thoughts

Everyone likes an easy solution and it can be tempting to try everything when looking for a lost cat. However, you need to think about how your actions might affect the situation. It’s never a good idea to place the litter box outside. Consider getting a live trap instead. Your veterinarian, local rescue group, and/or groomer can provide you with more information about locating your lost cat.  

 

Keeping Your Pet Warm

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Temperatures in Southern California are reaching record lows. If you’ve been up before 7:00 am, it’s likely you’ve had to deal with ice on your windshield or frost on your grass. Just this morning, the thermometer at my house was reading just 36 degrees. I haven’t seen temperatures dip this low in quite some time. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them dip this low in my entire time living in Orange County.

If you are feeling the cold, your pet probably is too. Just like humans, our pets become accustomed to the warm Southern California weather. The cold can make them anxious and miserable. This is especially true for pets left outdoors. The following tips can help you make sure your pet stays warm this winter.

Bring Them Indoors

If you normally let your cat explore outdoors all night or your dog spends most of their time outdoors, chances are pretty good they are getting too cold. While temperatures might not reach as low as other areas of the country, it’s still too cold to stay outdoors, especially throughout the night and early in the morning.

Older pets and larger breeds commonly suffer from arthritis, joint conditions, and back problems. These conditions are aggravated by cold weather. If possible, bring your pet inside where it’s safe and warm.

Try a Sweater

Although not all pets will tolerate clothing, putting a dog sweater or baby t-shirt on your pet can help keep them warm.

Keep an Eye on Their Skin

The cold weather combined with the dry heat inside our homes can lead to a number of skin conditions. Make sure you keep a close eye on your pet for excessive scratching or licking, missing fur, and hot spots. These issues can escalate quickly, so it’s best to have them dealt with the moment you notice a problem. Your veterinarian can advise you on the best course of action.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming and cat boarding in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment.

Keeping Your Indoor Cat Happy

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Despite what many people believe, it’s not a good idea to let your cat outdoors. Outdoor cats have a significantly shorter life expectancy than indoor cats.

Outdoor cats face numerous dangers including traffic, coyotes and other wild animals, poisons, and more. Even cats that are only allowed outside every once in a while are more likely to die from unnatural causes. This is why it’s so important to keep your cat indoors.

Start Young

Kittens that grow up inside are generally happier to stay indoors later in life. Unneutered males are the exception to this rule. These cats have a very strong instinct to find a mating partner. This is one of the most common reasons male cats go missing.

Have your cat spayed or neutered as soon as possible to prevent them from attempting to find a mate. Neutering can also solve other problems such as spraying, yowling, and aggressive behavior.

Play With Your Cat

Both outdoor and indoor cats require exercise and stimulation to keep them happy and healthy. Regular exercise reduces stress, increases the human/feline bond, and may prevent certain diseases.

Set aside a little time each day to play with your cat. Popular toys include feather wands and laser pointers. Some cats even like to play fetch. You might want to experiment with several different types of toys until you figure out which type your cat prefers.

Keep The Litter Box Clean

Cats are tidy creatures. They do not appreciate mess. Keeping their litter box accessible and clean can go a long way towards improving the health and happiness of your cat.

Just In Case – Be Prepared

Sometimes even the happiest indoor cat will sneak out to explore. If this happens you’ll want to make sure they make it home to you. ID tags are a great place to start. You can create ID tags for your cat at most pet stores. The tag should include your name and recent phone number. If you move or change your phone number, you need to update the tag.

Microchipping your cat is one of the easiest and fastest ways to ensure it makes it home. The microchip is placed under the skin at your vet and contains all of your contact information.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers grooming and boarding for cats. Please call 714-962-1005 for information about our services.

 

 

 

 

Most Common Feline Health Problems

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Cats are very good at hiding problems. Some feline health issues present themselves in strange ways. It’s always a good idea to have your cat seen by a qualified vet if they develop new habits or display unusual behavior. This is often the first sign of a problem.

Vomiting

Vomiting is an extremely common problem with cats. Often times, vomiting is caused by eating too quickly or ingesting too much hair (hairballs). Other, more serious problems such as urinary tract infections, diabetes, and poisoning can cause vomiting as well. It’s a good idea to have your cat seen by a vet if vomiting comes on suddenly and occurs on a regular basis.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD)

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD) are extremely common. In fact, it’s estimated that as many as 3% of all cats seen by vets are diagnosed with this condition. FLUTD has multiple causes and is more common in overweight cats fed a strictly dry food diet. Symptoms of FLUTD include:

  • Blood in urine
  • Straining to urinate
  • Inappropriate elimination (not using the litter box)
  • Depression
  • Lack of appetite
  • Vomiting

Sometimes, cats cannot urinate at all. This is an emergency situation! It’s crucial you take you cat to the vet immediately.

Fleas

Signs of fleas include excessive scratching or licking, red skin, and skin infections. A visual inspection of your cat can help you determine if fleas are present. Part the hair and look close to the skin. You might see moving fleas or flea dirt, which looks like coffee grounds that turn red when wet. Fleas are common in both dogs and cats.

Although you might be tempted to give your cat a flea bath or use an over the counter treatment for fleas, this can be dangerous for your cat. Ask your veterinarian or groomer for advice about treating fleas.

Most cat health problems are easily treated when caught early. This is why it’s so important to pay close attention to your cat.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers cat grooming and cat adoptions in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information about our grooming services, cat boarding facility, or adoptable pets.

Taking Care of Your Puppy’s Coat

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Small puppies require regular grooming. This helps them become accustomed to being brushed and bathed. It also helps keep their coat free from tangles and mats. This is especially important for longhaired breeds.

Regular Brushing

Brushing is important for both long and shorthair breeds. Regular brushing removes dead hair and stimulates the production of natural oils, which help moisturize your puppy’s skin and coat. For shorthaired breeds, brushing reduces the amount of shedding. This might not seem like a big deal now, but can become a major problem when your pet grows up. Getting them used to being brushed now will save you a lot of trouble in the future.

Longhaired dogs become tangled and matted extremely easily. These mats are uncomfortable for your pet and can lead to nasty skin infections and other issues. It might be helpful to use a wide toothed comb on your puppy prior to brushing.

Nail Trims and Ear Cleaning

Puppy nails are naturally sharp. These nails will continue to grow over time. If not trimmed regularly, they can become uncomfortable and cause problems for your pet. Getting your pet used to having their nails trimmed now can prevent future problems.

Certain breeds of dog are more prone to ear infections. Usually the first sign of a problem is spotted during routine ear cleaning. Keep your puppy’s ears clean using soft cotton pads and a safe ear cleaning solution.

Professional Pet Grooming

If you are unsure how to groom your new pet, we can help. Claws N Paws offers pet grooming for pets of all ages. We know how to properly care for your new pet so that they become comfortable with the grooming process. It’s recommended that you bring them in early and often, even if they only need a nail trim. This helps them get used to the sights and smells of the grooming salon.

Nail trims do not require an appointment. If you’d like have your puppy bathed, please call 714-962-1005 to schedule an appointment. Please let us know the age of your puppy when calling. This helps ensure that we reserve enough time to properly care for your pet.