Pet Grooming Orange County

You Can’t Top This!

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Like some humans, many pets are picky. Most pet owners have seen their pet turn down perfectly fine food. Thankfully, there are ways to encourage healthy feeding. Pet owners are turning to pet food toppers, which sit at the top of your pet’s regular meal. These appetizing treats will ensure your pet gets their nutrition without a fight!

What Are Pet Food Toppers?

Pet food toppers can come in multiple forms. There are wet pet food toppers, typically gravies, sauces, or broths. There are also dry pet food toppers, which are usually either powdered or freeze-dried. You can find them in the pet food aisle, and they typically come in small containers or packs. Pet food toppers are designed to be aromatic and enticing for even the pickiest pets. Different companies produce toppers differently. While some focus on meat and other pungent products to get pets to eat, others supply nutrition to supplement a balanced diet.

Most pet food toppers are only meant as intermittent treats, but others can be served as meals. If the packaging claims it meets AAFCO standards, it can be used as part of a balanced diet. Otherwise, it will encourage intermittent or supplemental feeding only. Supplemental pet food toppers should not comprise more than 10% of your pet’s diet.

What Are the Benefits?

Pet food toppers are typically used to encourage picky eaters to enjoy their regular diets. Pets can become easily bored eating the same meals every day. Thankfully, pet food toppers give us the chance to step up that bowl of kibble or canned food. They are also easier to store, meaning that you can experiment with different types or stock up on multiple different flavors at once.

Furthermore, the type of pet food topper you buy can determine its benefits. Some toppers contain extra supplements to bulk up your pet’s regular diet. Many contain probiotics, supplemental proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and more. Your vet may be able to help you pick the very best supplement for your specific pet. Wet pet food toppers can also provide hydration to pets that refuse to drink water. When you tailor pet food toppers to your specific pet, the possibilities are endless!

Claws N Paws Day Spa in Fountain Valley, California always has your pet’s health and happiness in mind. Our dedicated team of groomers can provide professional, personalized care to your cat or dog. Claws N Paws is currently open with social distancing and mask-wearing procedures in place. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us today at 714-962-1005.

Managing Your Allergies to Cats

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Cat allergies are very common, but that doesn’t mean they have to limit your pet options. In fact, many of the biggest cat lovers are allergic to cats. It’s all about management; while taking the proper precautions, humans with minor allergies can learn to live with a beloved feline friend.

What Causes the Allergy?

Many people believe that they are allergic to their cat’s fur, but this is not entirely true. Actually, they are allergic to the protein Fel d 1, which transfers through the saliva. When cats lick their bodies, they transfer this protein onto dry flaky skin called dander. Dander falls when the cat sheds their fur. Most often, allergic owners experience itchy skin and red, watery eyes.

There are some ways to gauge your cat’s ability to spread Fel d 1. For instance, male cats create more allergenic secretions and thus are more triggered to people with allergies. Furthermore, intact males produce more than neutered males. Finally, adult cats produce more than kittens. 

Hypoallergenic Breeds

Some breeds of cats are actually hypoallergenic. They produce less Fel d 1, meaning that they are safer to their allergic human companions. Hypoallergenic cat breeds are as follows:

  • Oriental shorthair
  • Balinese
  • Siamese
  • siberian 
  • Cornish rex
  • Devon rex
  • Javanese
  • Sphynx (hairless)

Of course, the best way to gauge whether you are allergic to a cat is to meet them. Schedule an in-person appointment, but be sure to mention your allergies to the facility. They can work with you to keep your dander exposure to a minimum.

Living With Cats

Of course, we cannot always choose our breeds. This is especially true for those of us who do rescue; the cat that needs our help may not always be hypoallergenic. Thankfully, there are ways to navigate living with both cats and allergies.

First, designate one area of your house a “pet-free” zone. Wash or replace all bedsheets, blankets, curtains, etc. Clean all surfaces thoroughly. Keep in mind that allergen molecules are one-sixth the size of pollens. They will not disappear overnight; rather, this is a gradual process.

Then, invest in some air cleaners. These should be distributed throughout the house. Clean surfaces and carpeting often, and wash your linens frequently. Not only will this limit allergens, it will help with any pet smells.

If your cat has fur, brush it often. This removes dander and loose fur in a concentrated environment rather than all over the house. If you are the one with the allergies, delegate this task to another housemate or professional groomer. A frequent professional groom can also remove more layers of fur, decreasing your chance of exposure.

At Claws N Paws, your cat or dog can find quality professional grooming from a dedicated team of individuals. Going out of town? We also offer cats-only boarding right next door in our separate facility. Claws N Paws Day Spa and Cat Boarding are currently open with provisions in place protecting our clients and staff from COVID-19. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us today at 714-962-1005.

Keep Your Pet Safe This Summer

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As temperatures rise in Southern California, it’s important to keep your pet safe. While a day in the sun might provide a welcome escape from the rainy weather we’ve experienced for most of the year, the heat presents a number of dangers for your pet.

Never Leave Your Pet in Your Car

A vehicle acts like an oven on warm days, reaching up to 170 degrees inside. It only takes a few minutes for the temperature inside your vehicle to cause harm to your pet. Never leave your pet in your vehicle alone, even for a few minutes. If you need to go somewhere that you can’t take your pet, it’s best to leave them at home.

Check Sidewalk Temperatures

Always check the temperature of sidewalks and roadways before walking your pet. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot for your pet. It’s also important to make sure you check outdoor areas as well. Your pet should have plenty of room to get away from the sun and off the sidewalk. It might be best to keep them inside as much as possible during the summer. Pets that walk on hot cement risk serious burns to the pads of their feet.

Make Sure Your Pet Has Fresh Water At All Times

Just like humans, our pets need to keep hydrated throughout the summer. Make sure you keep fresh water available at all times. Try putting a few ice cubes in your pet’s water bowl to keep it cool.

Fleas

Fleas become more common during the warm summer months. Make sure you check your pet regularly for fleas. Look for flea dirt, which looks like coffee grounds against the skin. When wet, this “dirt” turns red. This is actually flea droppings. If present, you need to treat your pet for fleas. This is important whether you see live fleas or not.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers summer haircuts for dogs and cats. Our groomers have years of experience providing pet grooming from our full service grooming salon in Orange County, California. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment.

Looking For A New Pet? – Why Adoption Is The Better Choice

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Looking For A New Pet? – Why Adoption Is The Better Choice

Most people have fond memories of the pets they lived with as a child. Sometimes, the pet you acquire as an adult is your first experience living with a furry friend. Whatever the case, adding a new pet to the family is exciting.

You have many choices when looking for a pet. There are pet shops, shelters, rescue groups, and breeders. There are also several people looking for homes for their pets on websites like Penny Saver and Craigslist. Although you might have an idea of what type of pet you’re looking for, there are some things you need to consider before choosing where to get one.

The type of place you get your pet from can help determine its health, behavior, and the future of millions of other pets. Please read below for more information.

Pet Shops

Unless they offer rescued pets for adoption, pet shops are one of the worst places to get a pet. Pet shops get their pets from places known as “puppy mills”. Puppy mills force pets (dogs, cats, and other species) to breed over and over. They do not provide adequate nutrition, space, or exercise for the animals they keep.

Animals from puppy mills can have severe problems such as diseases, muscular, and skeletal deformities. These pets are frequently sick when they arrive at the pet shop. They are also more likely to suffer from behavior problems.

In addition to the health and behavior risks associated with buying a pet from a pet shop, supporting puppy mills puts millions of pets in danger every year. This is why pet shops that sell animals are being banned around the state.

Breeders

Although there are some very respectable breeders, most are in it just to make money. Inexperienced breeders often do not know how to properly care for the pets they are in charge of. Much like a puppy mill, pets from breeders are prone to physical deformities, diseases, and behavioral problems.

Classifieds

You’ll likely see lots of pets offered on websites like Penny Saver or Craigslist. While there are definitely perks to helping a pet in need, you never really know what you’re going to get. It’s not uncommon for well-meaning people to take a pet only to find it has aggression or other issues they hadn’t anticipated.

Shelters

Adopting from the shelter is an excellent way to give a pet a second chance at a good life. The only issue is that you won’t know what kind of behavior your pet has until you bring it home.

Most of the time, pets are dropped off at the shelter because of behavior problems. Keep this in mind when adopting.

Rescue Groups

Rescue groups take the time and effort necessary to get to know each and every pet. They understand what type of behavior problems they have and they’ve taken the time needed to resolve them. They have each pet checked by a licensed veterinarian to ensure they are healthy and free from disease. Since they’ve taken the time to get to know each pet, they will be able to tell you which one will be the right fit for your family.

Claws N Paws offers cat and kitten adoptions. Please call 714-962-1005 for more information.

Why You Should Never Give Animals Away For Free

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Why You Should Never Give Animals Away For Free

When you make an animal a part of your family you make a commitment to that animal’s care and safety. Animals are not able to speak up for themselves, so it is up to you to ensure that all of their needs are met. If you can no longer keep your pet, your responsibility to them does not change. You are still required to make sure that they will be well taken care of in your absence.

Why people give up pets

There are a number of reasons why people give up pets. Sometimes they must move to a place where pets are not allowed or they find themselves unable to afford their pet’s care. Occasionally situations arise where an owner must suddenly give up their pet within a short amount of time. This is when many people are tempted to offer their pets for free because they believe that it will help the find a new home quickly.

What happens to pets that are given up for free

Unfortunately, criminals often pickup free animals. Pets that are given for free can be subjected to abuse, torture, death or being used for experiments. The people that do these unspeakable things don’t look any different than you or me. They might be well dressed, clean cut individuals that are easy to talk to. They will likely talk to you about how much they like your pet and will offer to care for them when you cannot. These people are con artists.

Other options

If you must find your pet a new home, please ask for an adoption fee. People looking for animals to abuse will not pay for them. An adoption fee ensures that your pet will not be used for animal testing and other horrible crimes. An adoption fee also ensures that a person can afford to take care of your pet’s basic needs. After all, if a person cannot afford to pay a minimal adoption fee, how will they ever be able to afford to care for your pet?

If you do not have the time to safely rehome your pet, please give them up to a pet rescue. This option ensures that your pet remains safe until it finds a quality home where it will not be mistreated.

For more information, please call Claws N Paws Day Spa at 714-962-1005.

 

Helping your Local Animal Rescue

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Helping your Local Animal Rescue

Every year, local animal rescues help hundreds to thousands of animals and people, usually with very limited resources and publicity. Helping your local animal rescue isn’t difficult. Try any (or all) of the following:

  1. Tell your friends and family about your local animal rescue. Most rescues rely solely on word of mouth. Consider sharing the organization’s information on social media websites.
  2. Get to know your local rescue groups. Stop in to visit the people that are responsible for caring for the animals.
  3. Before adopting from your local rescue, research what to expect. You’ll be far less likely to become frustrated if you fully understand the challenges and rewards of adopting a pet.
  4. Take a moment to thank the people who work at your local animal rescue. If you’ve adopted a pet from them, show them how well your pet is doing by sharing an updated picture with them in person or on their Facebook page.
  5. Consider making toys for the animals at the rescue using fabric, yarn and recyclables.
  6. Follow your local animal rescue on Facebook and other social media websites.
  7. Donate supplies to your local animal rescue. Rescue groups always need towels, blankets, toys, cat litter and other supplies. Visit or call the rescue to find out exactly what they need. Cash donations are typically welcome as well.
  8. Consider volunteering at your local animal rescue.
  9. Perhaps the best thing that you can do to help your local animal rescue is to make sure that your pets are spayed and neutered and have proper ID at all times. Cats should always be kept indoors and dogs should be kept on a leash while away from home.

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.