Pet Grooming Orange County

Orange County Cat Groomer Answers The Question “Why Cats Bite The Hand That Feeds”

By

Orange County Cat Groomer Answers The Question “Why Cats Bite The Hand That Feeds”

Why cats bite is one of life’s mysteries. We’ve all experienced it: you’re beloved feline is enjoying you scratching their favorite spot when suddenly they bite you. Pet parents often refer to these nibbles as “love bites”. However, the behavior is so common that feline behaviorists have created a formal name for it: petting-induced aggression. As an Orange County cat groomer we’ve heard our fair share of cat bite stories.

Why do cats bite?

Sometimes cats bite when playing or as a form of communication. Some cats nip to signal what they want. You’ll know if the biting is a signal behavior if your cat bites you then tries to lead you off in the direction of what they want.

Today, we’ll talk about the type of biting that seems to occur out of nowhere, when your cat was previously content.

Although petting-induced aggression is poorly understood, there are some reasons why cats may bite:

  • It could be the manifestation of status-induced aggression, where cats seek to control a situation.
  • Some cats might experience neurologically significant negative stimulus from being petted for a certain length of time.
  • The cat in question might be extremely subtle at letting humans know when they are unhappy, making their change in attitude seem more sudden than it actually is.

Whatever causes your cat to bite, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t still interact with your cat in a meaningful way. Your veterinarian or groomer might be able to teach you how to recognize the subtle warning signs associated with your cat’s displeasure before it reaches the point of biting.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers professional dog and cat grooming in Orange County, California. For your convenience, we also offer full service mobile grooming. For more information, or to schedule your next grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005 today.

Preventing Fleas and Ticks – Orange County Pet Grooming

By

Preventing Fleas and Ticks – Orange County Pet Grooming

Fleas and ticks are external parasites that can cause a lot of discomfort for your pet. During the summer, Orange County pet grooming shops typically have to deal with a lot of fleas and ticks and the problems that come along with them.

Fleas

Fleas can be found almost anywhere. Although there are more than 2000 species of fleas, the common cat flea is the type that is most often seen on both dogs and cats. Fleas prefer warm, humid conditions. This is why fleas are more prevalent during the summer and early fall.

Fleas can cause flea allergy dermatitis, which is a severe allergic reaction to flea saliva. In severe cases, flea allergy dermatitis causes intense itching and inflammation that often leads to bacterial or fungal infections. Fleas also play a role in the transmission of tapeworms and cat scratch fever. In severe infestations, fleas can remove so much blood that they cause anemia.

Ticks

Ticks are not actually insects. They are closely related to spiders, scorpions and mites. There are approximately eighty tick species in the U.S. but only a handful of them pose a problem for people and their pets.

Tick bites can be both painful and irritating. However, the real concern with ticks is the number of serious diseases that they are able to transmit.

Ticks can be found all over the United States. Although they can be seen during any time of the year, they are most prevalent during the early spring and late fall. Ticks prefer dark, moist, brushy places.

Preventing fleas

Today, there are many safe and effective flea control products to choose from. These products are administered either orally or topically. Some flea control products are only active against adult fleas, while others target other stages of the flea’s life cycle. Keep in mind that these products are separately labeled for dogs and cats. Never use flea medication meant for dogs on your cat.

Once an infestation is established it can be extremely difficult to get rid of. It might be necessary to treat your pet several times. It is also important to treat the pet’s environment.

Preventing ticks

Many major flea control products have formulations that help prevent ticks as well. These products are usually applied topically at the back of the neck. Just make sure that you never use medication intended for use on dogs on your cat.

Keeping your pet out of heavily wooded areas and tall grass are an important part of tick prevention. It might be necessary to treat your yard to reduce the number of ticks.

It’s a good idea to check your pets regularly for ticks. If you find ticks, never attempt to remove them with your bare hands. Your veterinarian or groomer can help you figure out the best way to remove ticks.

Claws N Paws Day Spa can help keep your pet free of fleas and ticks. For more information or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.

 

 

More Than Cat Grooming – How To Keep Your Cat Cool This Summer

By

More Than Cat Grooming – How To Keep Your Cat Cool This Summer

Summer officially begins on June 21st. Not only is this the longest day of the year but it’s also the start of three months of grueling hot weather. During the summer heat it’s easy for humans to strip down to shorts and tank tops, but what about our cats? They must wear their fur coat all year long. When your cat requires more than routine cat grooming to cool off, the following tips can help:

  • Drop three or four ice cubes into your cat’s water bowl.
  • Fill a small plastic bottle ¾ full with cold water and leave it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, wrap the bottle in a towel and place it in your cat’s favorite lounging spot.
  • Elevating your cat’s bed allows air to pass underneath it, keeping your cat cooler.
  • Consider getting a small box fan and placing it on the floor near your air conditioner or an open window. For extra cooling power, put a frozen water bottle in front of the fan.
  • If your cat has long fur, consider a lion cut to help keep them cool on hot summer days. Keep in mind that cats with white or light colored fur also have pale skin that is more susceptible to sunburns. Another option is to only shave your cat’s tummy.
  • Stroke your cat with a damp washcloth or paper towel.
  • Close the curtains or blinds of any south or west facing windows. Not only will this keep your cat cooler, it will save you money on your air conditioning bills as well.
  • Cats can get overheated easily by exercise on hot days. It’s best to save playtime until the end of the day, when it’s cooler.
  • Remember to NEVER leave your cat in your car for any period of time. Your car can reach dangerous temperatures extremely fast.

Heatstroke can cause kidney damage, heart dysfunction and other potentially fatal issues. If your cat starts panting, drooling or having trouble breathing it’s important to get them to the nearest emergency vet immediately.

Claws N Paws Day Spa can help keep your cat cool this summer. Contact us at 714-962-1005 to find out how!

 

Orange County Groomer Discusses Why You Should Never Leave Your Dog in a Hot Car

By

Orange County Groomer Discusses Why You Should Never Leave Your Dog in a Hot Car

 If you take your dog with you everywhere you go, it’s important that you never leave them in the car while running errands, even for a few minutes. The consequences of doing so can be severe under conditions much milder than you might realize. The intense heat inside a vehicle, regardless of the make or model, can be brutal and unrelenting. This Orange County Groomer doesn’t think it’s ever worth the risk.

How dogs deal with heat

A dog’s primary defenses against the heat are panting and their coat. Panting releases moisture and their coat is specially designed to provide insulation against the sun’s rays. The average body temperature for an adult dog ranges from 99.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

What happens to a dog in a hot car?

When a dog is left in a hot car, they pant in an attempt to keep cool. The more they pant, the more body fluid they lose. Even after just a few minutes, a dog can develop symptoms of non-fever hyperthermia or heat stroke. The longer a dog is subjected to intense heat, the greater the chance that it will affect all of their vital systems. Even though senior dogs and puppies are at increased risk, dogs of any age that are left in a hot car can suffer from multiple organ failure and/or death.

How hot is too hot?

Vehicles are built from materials that trap, conduct and distribute heat. Parking under a shady tree, using a reflective dashboard or windshield cover or leaving the windows open only makes a very small difference. The interior of a vehicle gets extremely hot, very quickly. The air temperature only needs to be between 81 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for a dog to begin showing signs of heat distress. If it is 89 degrees outside, the interior of your vehicle can reach 123 degrees within just 30 minutes.

What to do if you see a dog alone in a car

If you see a dog alone in a parked vehicle you should always attempt to locate the owner first. Write down the vehicle’s license plate just in case legal action is necessary. Alert the local authorities. If you feel that you must intervene, remember that you do so at your own risk.

Claws N Paws Day Spa believes that if you must run errands on a hot day it’s always best to leave your dog at home. Keep them cool this summer with professional pet grooming. To schedule a grooming appointment, please contact us at 714-962-1005.

 

Fleas Carrying Plague – Why Southern California Flea Control Is So Important!

By

Fleas Carrying Plague – Why Southern California Flea Control Is So Important!

We all know how annoying fleas can be. What you might not realize is that fleas can carry diseases. This year, Southern California flea control may be more important than ever before. Just 475 miles away, in Flagstaff Arizona, prairies dogs are dropping dead from plague. Yes, you read that right. The same plague that ravaged Europe in the 14th century is being carried by fleas and killing prairie dogs today.

Residents throughout the Flagstaff area have been notified that plague is present and monitoring is expected to continue for quite some time. The situation is being assessed regularly to determine whether further action is necessary in order to contain the disease.

About Plague

The Plague, also known as the Black Death, wiped out sixty percent of Europe’s population in the 14th century. Caused by a bacterium, there have been three major outbreaks: the Justinian Plague, the Great Plague and the Modern Plague. The most recent outbreak spread through China and into the U.S. during 1860s.

With modern antibiotics and improved hygiene, plague isn’t feared today as it was in years past. However, you will still want to protect your pet from fleas and the possibility of disease. Fleas often bite humans and they are especially attracted to household pets such as dogs and cats.

The incubation period from the time an infected flea bites until when symptoms are experienced is one to seven days. Symptoms include a sudden high fever, body aches and bad chills. Anyone who suspects plague should be seen by a doctor right away.

Protecting your family from fleas is easy. Stop by Claws N Paws Day Spa to discuss flea control options. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please contact us at 714-962-1005.

Our Flea Free Policy

By

Our Flea Free Policyflea free policy

Sooner or later every pet parent has to deal with fleas. If you know how to properly treat and prevent fleas, your pet will be happier and healthier. As a respected Orange County grooming shop, we feel that it is important to take action against fleas.

Any pet that arrives for grooming with one or two visible fleas will be given a bath in our citrus-based flea shampoo. This shampoo is safe for pets, but deadly to fleas. It will not damage the pet’s skin like other over-the-counter flea shampoos can. This basic flea treatment is complimentary.

Pets with several fleas and/or flea dirt present must undergo our full de-fleaing process. Pets with fleas are given a Capstar pill immediately. These pills are safe for dogs and cats over four weeks of age. They work hard and fast, killing adult fleas in as little as 30 minutes. After the Capstar has gone into effect, flea-infested pets are bathed in our citrus-based flea shampoo. The pet must sit in this shampoo for 10 minutes to ensure that it is able to work effectively. After the shampoo is fully rinsed, we apply a Dead Sea mud conditioner that stays on for another 20 minutes. This deep conditioning replenishes any lost moisture and soothes irritated skin. After the conditioner is rinsed, all dead fleas are removed before grooming is continued. The entire process takes approximately 80 minutes to complete, therefore an additional $25 charge is added for this service.

When we check in your pet it is sometimes difficult to tell if there are fleas present. It is greatly appreciated if you let us know if you suspect fleas when making your grooming appointment. If we discover fleas on your pet, we will do our best to try to contact you. However, for the safety of our other customers, any pet that arrives for grooming with fleas MUST be de-fleaed before we complete the grooming process.

We take a lot of pride in our grooming shop and keeping it clean and flea free is extremely important to us. Not all grooming salons take these steps to prevent your pet from bringing home fleas.  We take the time necessary to sanitize everything after a flea infested pet has visited our shop. We even have our salon treated monthly by Preferred Pest Control. Preferred uses a pet-safe spray to kill and prevent fleas and other insects.

Please keep in mind that we can only handle a part of the problem. To rid your pet of fleas you must treat your home as well. We use and recommend Orange County based Preferred Pest Control.  Claws N Paws Day Spa does not sell or recommend flea products such as Frontline or Advantage. We encourage you to talk with your veterinarian about safe and effective flea control products such as Comfortis.

We have developed this flea free policy in order to maintain our reputation as a respected Orange County grooming salon. We want every customer to have peace of mind knowing that their pets will not bring fleas home after grooming.

We thank you for your understanding and we hope that this makes you feel more confident about choosing us as your pet’s groomer.

For more information, or to schedule a grooming appointment, please call 714-962-1005.