Pet Grooming Orange County

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.

 

Spraying and Urination in Cats

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There’s nothing more frustrating than dealing with a cat that’s doesn’t use its litter box. In fact, inappropriate elimination is one of the most common reasons given when adult cats are abandoned at the shelter.

While most people automatically assume that cats are spraying to mark their territory, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes improper elimination is caused by a medical problem. Whatever the case, elimination outside of the litter box should never be ignored. 

Cats use scent to communicate with each other. Your cat may mark its territory by chin rubbing, scratching, or spraying urine. Spraying is more common in unneutered males and unspayed females but sometimes continues after alteration.

Spraying in spayed females and neutered males is rarely due to behavioral issues. Most of the time, it’s caused by stress or medical problems. If your neutered or spayed cat is spraying, the first thing you need to do is take them to your veterinarian.

UTI

The most common cause of urination outside of the litter box is a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI causes your cat to experience pain when urinating. This can cause them to avoid using their litter box.

UTIs are easily diagnosed and easily treated with antibiotics. Cats typically begin using their litter box immediately after treatment.

Stress

Stress is another common cause of inappropriate elimination. A stressed cat will likely show other symptoms such as excessive licking, aggressiveness, and/or irritation. Stress can be caused by numerous factors. The most common include changes in the home environment, the addition of new family members or new pets.

Spending more time with your pet or reducing exposure to stressful experiences can help them overcome these issues.

Cleanliness

Cats like things tidy. Proper litter box maintenance is extremely important. Your cat might avoid using its litter box if it’s unclean, or if you’ve switched to a scented litter.

If you have multiple cats, you will need multiple litter boxes. A good rule of thumb is one litter box per cat. Make sure these are placed in different locations so that each of your cats feels like they have their own space to eliminate.

Make sure that you fully clean any areas where your cat has eliminated. Even the faintest odor can cause them to return.

Final Thoughts

With a little patience, improper elimination can be resolved. The first step is to visit your veterinarian. If your cat is not spayed or neutered, now is the time. It’s much harder to stop an unaltered cat from marking its territory.

 

 

 

 

Preparing for the Holidays

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Twinkling lights and decorations will soon fill the walls of every store. This is the time of year when many of us begin shifting our attention to the holidays. This is a favorite time of year for people everywhere. While you might be ready to begin decorating for the holidays, it’s important to consider your pet. Many decorations are dangerous to pets and should always be kept out of reach.

String Lights

Electric lights look beautiful on a tree or decorating your home. However, these lights can pose a serious risk to pets. Pets can chew on cords, leading to electric shock. They can also become tangled, unable to break free. Cats are generally more susceptible to injury from cords, but dogs might be injured as well. It’s important to keep cords well out of reach of pets.

Glass Ornaments

Glass ornaments look a lot like your dog’s favorite ball.  Unfortunately, when chewed, glass ornaments shatter into sharp pieces. If ingested, these pieces can pose a choking hazard and can cause serious injury to the digestive tract. Broken ornaments also pose a risk to other pets and family members who might unknowingly step on pieces of glass. If you must use glass ornaments, make sure that they are kept out of reach of your pet.

Holiday Plants

Poinsettias might look pretty in your home, but these plants are poisonous to pets. When ingested, poinsettias cause serious gastrointestinal distress. Other poisonous plants include holly and mistletoe. It’s important to ensure that pets are not able to access these plants.

Imitation Snow/Tree Flocking

Imitation snow produces a snow-like appearance on Christmas trees. The substance used to create this appearance is dangerous to pets. Dogs often chew on Christmas tree branches. If flocking is used, it will be ingested.

Edible Ornaments

Ornaments and decorations made from food might look cute on your tree or around your home, but they pose a serious risk to pets. The sugar content in candy canes is unhealthy and the glue and other elements used to preserve and hang edible ornaments can be toxic.

Claws N Paws Day Spa hopes that you and your furry friends have a safe and happy holiday season.

Fear-Based Aggression in Pets

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Pets can show aggression for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s due to lack of socialization or training. Other times, aggression is caused by fear. Pets visiting the groomer often feel afraid. This is especially true for pets that have never been groomed.

At Claws N Paws Day Spa, we’ve seen a lot of fear-based aggression in pets. Sometimes, we can alleviate a pet’s fear by avoiding certain aspects of the grooming process such as kennels and dryers. However, there are other times when pets are simply too afraid to be groomed.

Fear-Based Aggression Puts Pets And Their Groomer At Risk

Pets that show fear-based aggression put themselves and their groomer at risk. These pets will bite and scratch relentlessly until they are able to get away from the situation causing them fear. Unfortunately, this isn’t ideal in a grooming salon. Once free, pets can become injured by falling from tables or colliding with other pets.

While our groomers might attempt to groom an aggressive pet, there is always the possibility that the stress and danger become too great and grooming cannot be completed. At this point, we will have no choice but to send them home. This might mean sending pets home with half a haircut or partially bathed. The safety of your pet is our first concern.

It is strongly recommended that aggressive pets be taken to their vet for grooming. Veterinarians are used to dealing with fear-based aggression and know how to safely sedate pets so that they do not pose a risk to themselves or others. While this might cost more than taking your pet to the grooming salon, it’s safer for your pet.

Pets that show mild aggression can usually be trained to trust their groomer. Frequent visits to the grooming salon can help. Bringing your pet in for simple services such as nail trims and ear cleaning allows pets to adjust to the sights, smells, and sensations of being groomed. As pets learn to accept these services, more can be done. While this type of training won’t work for every pet, it does work for many.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers humane grooming services. This means we WILL NOT put your pet’s health or safety at risk for any reason.

Kitten Adoptions

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Claws N Paws Day Spa has been caring for pets in Orange County, California for sixteen years. While many people already know about our pet grooming services, not everyone knows that we also have several rescued cats and kittens available for adoption. These sweet felines are eagerly waiting for someone to give them a chance at a happy life.

We Take Donations!

Many of the kittens we have available for adoption were found as newborns. These kittens have to be bottle-fed and socialized before they are able to find a new home. This takes a lot of time and effort. It also costs a lot of money.

Kitten formula is expensive. So is the veterinary care and medicine these babies often need. This is the reason we ask for donations whenever possible. The money we collect for our rescue does not go back into our grooming shop. Every cash donation goes directly towards caring for our foster cats and kittens.

If at all possible, please consider donating to our rescue. In addition to money, we also accept towels, blankets, formula, cat and kitten food, and litter donations.

Adopt, Don’t Shop

Kittens in pet stores usually come from puppy mills, or commercial breeders. These breeders see the animals in their care as profit makers. They generally do not provide the attention or medical care required to raise happy, healthy pets. As a result, pets from pet stores are often sick or badly behaved. Purchasing animals from a pet shop allows this type of breeding situation to continue. If you are looking for a cat or kitten, please consider adoption.

All of the cats and kittens we have available for adoption are healthy, up-to-date with their vaccinations, spayed or neutered (when old enough), and socialized with people and other pets. Our bottle-fed babies are some of the sweetest kittens you’ll ever meet.

Stop by our grooming salon in Fountain Valley, California to meet our available cats and kittens. Each has its own unique personality. Our groomers will be happy to help you find the perfect fit for your family. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information about our cat and kitten rescue.

 

 

 

 

Halloween With Pets

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Many people love Halloween. However, their pets often do not feel the same way. In fact, Halloween can be extremely scary for pets that aren’t accustomed to the sights and smells of this fun night. It’s important to think of your pet long before the holiday.

Trick Or Treat

On Halloween night, you will likely have kids coming to your door over and over again. While you might enjoy seeing their costumes, your pet will probably be very upset by the constant ringing doorbell and opening of your door. It’s a good idea to keep your pet in a quiet room throughout the night. Try putting on a radio or television to distract them from the commotion at your front door.

If you decide to take your pet out with you to trick or treat, remember to keep them close. Your pet will not understand why people are dressed up. This can be scary and they might even become aggressive in an attempt to protect their family. Try visiting a few homes before deciding if your pet is able to continue.

Halloween Candy

One of the most common reasons that pets are brought to the hospital this time of year is because they’ve ingested something dangerous. Always keep candy away from your pet, regardless of how good you think they are.

It only takes a second for your pet to consume something that could cause a problem. Even if they don’t have access to chocolate, a candy wrapper can pose a serious choking hazard for your pet.

Keep Them Inside

There are numerous things on Halloween that can scare our pets. Startled pets might run from their family. Unfortunately, they can get lost easily. If at all possible, keep your pet indoors on Halloween night. Do not let them have access to your front door or allow them to play outside.

Many people have their pets boarded during this exciting holiday. This might be the best option if your pet becomes nervous easily or if you are unsure how they will react.

Claws N Paws Day Spa wishes you and your loved ones a safe and happy Halloween. Please call 714-962-1005 to schedule your next grooming appointment.