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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Do Cats Need Grooming?

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There seems to be a lot of opinions regarding whether or not cats need to be professionally groomed. Some people have their cats bathed every month, while others never visit a professional groomer. So what is best? The answer depends on your cat, their needs, and your personal preference.

Cats With Special Needs

Sometimes cats need a little help getting clean. This is especially true for elderly cats and cats with certain diseases and/or disabilities. Elderly or ill cats might urinate or defecate on themselves and need a little help getting clean. Sometimes they are physically not able to clean themselves or they might have a condition that causes excessively oily skin. If your cat cannot properly clean itself, a monthly bath can help keep their coat clean and healthy.

Longhaired Cats

Longhaired cats require more work than shorthaired breeds. Longhair can become tangled and matted. Mats are uncomfortable and can lead to sores and infections. Once matted, your cat must be shaved.

A monthly bath and brush might be just what your longhaired cat needs to keep clean and tangle-free.

Allergies

People with allergies often have their cat bathed regularly. Monthly baths help remove the dander that causes allergic reaction. After their bath, the cat is fully brushed to remove loose skin and hair. Although this method will likely not help someone that is severely allergic, it can help mild to moderately allergic individuals coexist with their furry friend.

Dirt and Debris

Cats are curious by nature. They can get themselves stuck in some very interesting situations. Sometimes, a cat’s actions will leave them dirty or covered in a variety of substances. As groomers, we’ve seen cats come in with all kinds of things stuck in and on their fur.

If your cat has managed to make a mess of itself, please contact your local groomer to setup an appointment. Improper cleaning can leave your cat dirty and miserable. Depending on the substance your cat has on its fur, it might even be dangerous for them to attempt to clean themself. Claws N Paws Day Spa offers professional cat grooming at our full service salon in Fountain Valley, CA. Please contact us to setup a grooming appointment today.

 

 

Canine Vestibular Disorder

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Canine vestibular disease is common, especially in older dogs. Symptoms of this condition can be scary. It’s crucial that you take your pet to a qualified veterinarian if you notice anything out of the ordinary. Treatment can ease symptoms and allow your dog to live comfortably. Without treatment, symptoms can quickly become worse.

The vestibular system is responsible for your dog’s balance and sense of spatial orientation. Problems with the vestibular system can make your dog uncoordinated. This can lead to an inability to walk or function properly.

There are two different types of vestibular disease, peripheral and central. Peripheral is much more common. This is the type we will address in this article.

Symptoms

Symptoms of vestibular disease vary by pet. Some dogs experience milder systems than others. Common signs of a problem include head tilting, loss of coordination, circling and stumbling, falling and rolling, and involuntary eye movements from side to side or up and down. Pet parents often say that symptoms resemble those of a stroke.

Causes

Causes of vestibular disease include recurrent ear infections, overzealous ear cleaning resulting in perforation of the ear drum, trauma caused by head injury, stroke, tumors, polyps, meningoencephalitis, hyperthyroidism, and the use of certain medications. Anything that can irritate or damage the nerves of the inner ear can cause this condition.

Occasionally, the disease is present at birth, or it can come on later in life with no apparent cause. This is why vestibular disease is often referred to as old dog disease.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian can diagnose vestibular disease. Diagnosis is typically based on history, physical examination, and neurological assessment. Blood tests, cultures and sensitivity tests as well as cytology will be performed to rule out other possible causes. Treatment varies based on the underlying cause.

Treatment

If an ear infection is to blame, medication should correct the problem. If medication is found to be the cause, discontinuing its use is generally all that is needed. Other causes of the disease are not as easy to treat. Treatment is typically focused on reducing symptoms. Anti-nausea medication might be given to reduce discomfort to your pet.

Claws N Paws Day Spa offers pet grooming in Orange County. Our groomers understand that pets need care even when they’re suffering from this common condition. We take care to ensure that pets with vestibular disease are comfortable throughout their grooming appointment. Please call 715-962-1005 to schedule a grooming appointment.

 

Flea Treatment – Keeping Your Pet Safe

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It seems like fleas have been worse than ever this year. Unfortunately, this warm weather is expected to last well into November, making flea season especially long.

Many Orange County families struggle to control fleas on their pets and in their homes. Flea products can be expensive, and traveling to and from the vet every month isn’t always an option for today’s busy family. It can be tempting to opt for grocery store options in an effort to save both time and money. However, many over the counter flea products can be dangerous for your pet.

Flea Shampoo

Despite their harmless appearance, flea shampoos often contain harsh chemicals, which can be harmful to your pet. In fact, the insecticides in flea shampoo have poisoned several pets.

Symptoms of insecticide poisoning include seizures, difficulty walking, dilated pupils, extreme sleepiness, decreased heart rate, vomiting, excessive drooling, and diarrhea. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, it’s crucial that you get them to their veterinarian as soon as possible.

Spot Treatment

There are numerous over the counter spot treatment products available today. These products are applied once a month to the base of the neck. While Frontline and Advantage are generally safe to use, the products provided by other companies have caused severe reactions in several pets.

Spot treatments are responsible for 80% of all deaths related to flea treatment. Reactions can come on suddenly, even if you’ve used over the counter spot treatments before. When in doubt, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. Talk to your veterinarian about safer options for your pet.

Flea Collars

Flea collars used to be the flea treatment of choice for families everywhere. Today, we have better options and know more about the harmful effects of these products.

Flea collars can cause severe allergic reaction. These collars supply a constant stream of insecticides, which can leach into your pet’s skin causing neurological issues and even death.

If you are having difficulty dealing with fleas, it’s important to speak with your veterinarian about safe treatment options. It’s also important to treat your home to prevent fleas from re-infecting your pet.

Please contact us at 714-962-1005 to discuss your flea treatment options with one of our experienced groomers.