Finding Humor

I have to admit, I love being a cat groomer. Having an off beat, snarky sense of humor is a requirement. There is no end to the amount of fun one can have when talking about being a cat groomer. Of course, due to currently used euphemisms, the ability to accept a fair amount of off-color humor is also required. Luckily I've never had any of that directed at me in a creepy or threatening way, so it's all good!

"science" explaining what we already know

It's been awhile since my last post. Spring is finally here, and I've been trying to be outdoors as much as possible. I've also been busy, busy, busy with grooming! Lots of undercoat removal, lots of seasonal shedding, lots of comb clips and lion clips. Everyone wants to be ready for summer!

As we gear up for one of the busiest times of the year, I've managed to injure myself not once, but twice. I'm such an overachiever! A couple of weeks ago I did 'something' to my back, resulting in me not being able to move for 2 days. I felt so bad having to cancel my kitties! But, when one cannot bend, twist, or otherwise change positions, trying to groom a cat probably is not a safe choice.

I think these guys have the right idea

Yesterday I had an angry cat day. And while working on my first angry cat, she bit me. Ow! Cat bits are Serious Business. If you're ever bitten by a cat, scrub it out immediately and thoroughly with Betadine and get to a doctor! While I did the scrubbing, I had lots of angry cats to groom. So I continued on and finished bathing, clipping, combing and beautifying. 5 hours after I was bitten I finally took myself to urgent care (UNI, if you're local) for some treatment. I was in and out in 28 minutes, the staff was friendly and efficient. Although it was only a quick bite - she CHOMPED and then let go - it was already infected. Just two little punctures and a whole lot of swelling. So today I'm just relaxing at home, soaking my hand in epsom salts and taking my antibiotics like a good girl. It's kinda boring, I'd rather be grooming some angry cats!

cats like to keep their options open

'Tis the Season - Fleas!

Let me start by saying that it's always the season for fleas! Here in Maryland, it's rarely cold enough, long enough to really kill off fleas, and if fleas are in your HOME, well, it's never going to be cold enough to freeze 'em! Anyone that has ever had a flea problem knows just how difficult and expensive they are to get rid of.

It is vitally important that the living area of the infested pet is treated. This includes any area your pet might be, inside the home and out. It's a ton of work! But even if the pet comes home completely flea free, those fleas will hop right back on! And if they don't start eating Fluffy because he's now protected by a flea preventative (like Frontline or Advantage), those blood suckers are going to hop on you. 

*not actually fleas*

You may notice your cat itching and scratching. They may lick or chew on themselves. Or you may even see the fleas on them. Some animals don't seem especially bothered by fleas, but some are allergic to them and will suffer from flea bite dermatitis or flea allergy dermatitis, to be more correct. The above picture is actually stud tail (another problem for another day) but it looks enough like fleas for me to post. Somehow I have a lack of flea pictures for you. Probably because I bathe as soon as I see fleas! I'm not wasting time taking pictures! Fleas usually look like little tiny specks of pepper in your cat's coat. It can be easy to see on the rump, just in front of their tail. Flea dirt refers to flea excrement and is easy to spot if you're looking for it. 

You can't tell, but this cat was suffering from 

a major flea infestation.

Feeling much better after a Capstar

and a medicated bath!

Here's my advice on dealing with fleas. First, KILL THE FLEAS. Sounds so simple, right? How to do it? While you  can use flea shampoos, I wouldn't waste my time. Why? Well, for one, you can't use it on the cat's head. This is to prevent damaging the eye and other delicate mucus membranes. Flea shampoos use chemicals to kill fleas. Those chemicals can hurt your cat as well. Natural flea shampoos contain essential oils to kill the fleas, but most of those oils are toxic to cats, such as Tea Tree (Melaleuca) oil, citrus oil, peppermint oil and lavender oil. Flea shampoo will not provide any lasting protection. Once it's rinsed off, it's flea killing properties are done.  Dish soap is not safe to use, even to kill fleas! I know there's a recipe floating around, but guys, CATS ARE NOT DISHES. Do not use dish soap on them!

So flea baths are out. Flea dips? Hellooooo toxicity! Professionals no longer use flea dips because they're incredibly toxic and dangerous. Both to pet and person alike. Just thinking about it damages my nerve endings. No flea dips. No way, no how.

If flea shampoo is useless and flea dips are antiquated death traps, how DO you get rid of the fleas? I like a 3 step attack. Step One, Flea Death. Administer Capstar. It's a pill that will kill any flea on your pet in about 30 minutes. Seriously. It's inexpensive and it works. 

Alright, fleas are dead, what next? Step Two, grooming. Just because flea shampoo is pointless, doesn't mean that a good bath isn't. Your cat has had fleas feasting on him, has been itchy and scratching himself and his skin is ouchy. Plus, that coat is now FULL of dead fleas. Yuck. Also, that coat is full of flea dirt...i.e. flea poop. Gross! Your cat will benefit from a good bath to remove the poop and corpses. I always do a good soak in my favorite medicated shampoo. Finish with a blow dry and comb out and kitty is going to feel good as new!

Finish up with Step Three, PREVENTION. Kitty needs to get on a regular, consistent flea preventative. Frontline, Advantage for Cats and Revolution for example. DO NOT USE DOG PRODUCTS ON CATS. EVER, EVER EVER. They can/will kill or severely sicken your cat. Cat products only! Also, while over the counter products found at your local pet supply may save you some money, they almost always don't work, cause unpleasant reactions, and don't work. I've seen it. It's not worth it. Buying flea preventative at the vet is more expensive, but it's worth it. Most (all?) will guarantee the safety and effectiveness of their products when purchased through a licensed veterinarian. Some products seem to be less effective in certain areas, so talk to your vet and find out which one is going to work best for you.

Now that your cat is flea free and on a preventative, what else? The main part of prevention is  on going maintenance of the home and yard your cat has access to. If kitty is an indoor cat, probably just treating your home is sufficient. If kitty is indoor/outdoor, or you share your home with a dog, you may also need to treat your yard too. Because the flea is incredibly adept at surviving, they're incredibly hard to get rid of. Consistent treatment, about every 2 weeks - depending on treatment type, for several months is a necessary commitment. Just treating once isn't going to cut it. 

The number 1 reason I see 'repeat offenders' is that the owners will not properly treat their home. And yes, I see a good number of pets that are always suffering from a flea infestation. It's heartbreaking how much these animals suffer. Needlessly suffer. 

How cute is she?!
Boarding your cat may be the safest way

to treat your home.

Here's a bunch of links I found that may be useful. Lots of great information!

Flea Smart

How Stuff Works

Illinois Dept of Public Health

UC IPM

Stop the Fleas

As a cat groomer, I want to add a few extras. 

Never use a product unless it says on the label it is safe for cats. 

Never use a dog product on your cat.

If you do, contact your vet IMMEDIATELY. 

A major concern in battling fleas is the internal build up of toxic chemicals. This is a big reason I avoid flea shampoos. Cats are really delicate creatures and their systems can't tolerate a lot. Using a lot of chemicals in a short amount of time can lead to a fatal build up. When dealing with fleas you need to hit them hard and fast, using as few products as possible. 

Most flea preventatives need to be used no sooner than 3 days after a bath, or 3 days before it. Because these products adhere to the body oils, applying immediately before or after a bath cause them to not work. I've been told (by their sales rep) that Revolution can be applied within 30 minutes of bathing.

Most quality shampoos do not remove flea preventatives if used outside of the 3 day before/after time frame. 

Do not use a flea shampoo 'whether they need it or not'. There is NO reason to apply toxic chemicals to your cat, unless your cat has fleas on him at that time. Fleas aren't killed by sunshine and unicorns. They're killed by chemicals. Unnecessary application of chemicals is not good for your cat. (Yes, even if it's labelled as 'cat safe'.)

Seeing fleas on a black cat can be tricky.

Parting the hair or using a flea comb can help.

Try checking the belly or groin area, where the hair may be thinner.

Fleas suck. There's no other way to put it. If you're battling fleas you have my sympathy. They're hard to get rid of. Remember that if you stick with a consistent treatment plan you can get rid of them. If you don't treat your home as well as your pet, fleas probably are going to continue to plague you and your pet. 

Please remember that this is an example of how caring is not sharing. Fleas are contagious, and by bringing a cat with an active flea problem to the groomer, you're putting their facility and their other customers at risk. Groomers have to go through an awful lot of extra cleaning to prevent the spread of fleas. You would be furious if your cat came home with fleas, right? Just imagine how we feel when Fluffy brings fleas into our work area! If you know or suspect your cat has fleas, please inform the groomer before bringing the cat into the building! Some groomers simply refuse any pet with fleas. Some need advanced notice so they can schedule their day to avoid exposing other customer's pets to fleas. 

Simon wishes you luck.

He's getting the heck outta here!

New Cat Grooming Day!

I'm thrilled to announce I'll now be grooming cats on Sundays! Starting last week I'll be grooming kitties at Advanced Veterinary Complex on Tuesdays and Sundays. As always, please call them at 410-833-0500. Don't call me. I don't answer my phone. Or even know where it is.

Curious as to why I switched days? The answer's easy! For the good of the cat. There was just Too Many Dogs on Saturdays. Not good for me, not good for kitties. So I talked to the bosses and they instantly agreed with me. (Good bosses!) Our first Sunday was a huge success, I had a full house and everyone was much happier! 

Hope to see you all soon!

You Gotta Share...

A few days ago my groomer friend Ellen put out a call for pictures of matted cats and dogs. I thought "well, I have tons of THOSE!" and went to find a couple pictures for her. Turns out, I don't have tons of pictures of matted cats. I should! But I don't.

I have no idea why. I groom plenty of matted kitties. I think it has something to do with rarely remembering to bring my camera to work. And then home again for charging and picture removal. Oh well.

I did find a few to send her. The one she used of my the rare Snowshoe Turtle Cat. You can read Ellen's post about the dreaded Once A Year Groom at her blog.

How do we discourage OAY and TAY grooming from happening again? This is a cycle that must be broken because it is not in the best interest of the pet’s basic care. The client needs to be educated starting on their very first visit. I have asked my customers, “How would you feel if you cleaned your ears, trimmed your nails and washed and brushed your own hair once or twice a year?” Most people don’t think of it that way. After all, it’s “just a dog (or cat)” But we know better!  Simply humanizing a pet goes a long way and makes the point quite clear. Maintenance grooming is an important part of owning a pet. It follows next in line after food, water and lots of love.

Lovingly borrowed without permission from Ellen at Royal Canine Mobile Grooming.

Happy Weekend!!!!

Remember, if your cat looks like this,

it's time to come see me!

A Bad Day

bad day?

close your eyes until it goes away!

I had a terrible day today. Ok, the entire day wasn't terrible, just one or two things, but sometimes that's enough to taint the rest of the day. It began with a customer using a word that I find very insulting. While I'm sure she didn't use it on purpose, it still stung. I'm very careful with the words I use to describe the work I do and when someone uses a word like "skin", "scalp" or "razor" it zings my brain, and not in a good way. For the record, I would NEVER use a razor on any animal. I clip cats. With clippers. And clipper blades. I do not 'skin' or 'scalp' them. I also do not lather up some shaving cream and get out my Gillete Mach III.

See, getting worked up all over again.

I dare you to look at this cat

and not laugh

Then, I did something I rarely do. I didn't double check to see what "same as last time" was. I ended up doing the wrong thing. I thought I remembered what I had done last time. I assumed both cats got the same clip - a long comb clip. Only only cat got clipped, the other should have stayed in full coat. Entirely my fault and I felt horrible about it. I apologized up and down, but that doesn't change the fact that I made a mistake and did the wrong thing.

The owner was not forgiving. I don't blame her.

there are no mistakes in cat grooming, young lady

One of the last cats I did was in very poor health. She was matted. She was covered in diarrhea. She was very thin, her skin was even thinner. She was very agreeable for grooming - partly because she was too sickly to fuss too much - but mostly because she's a nice little cat. I was as careful as possible, but sometimes there's just nothing to prevent nicking or cutting the skin. I knew it would be rough going before I even started, but it doesn't make it any easier. Her delicate skin couldn't take much dematting, so even combing out the tangles would have the potential to rip her skin. It was a long, slow and gentle grooming. Even so I had to bring her over so the vet could check her few nicks and glue them together. She reminded me that it can happen and is one of the dangers of grooming cats, especially ones in poor health. The injuries were minor, and given the condition, unavoidable.

It didn't really help. I still feel really bad.

remember me? 

You helped me feel better!

I suppose it's human nature to focus on the bad things. Or, at least, my nature. There's a lot I can learn from today. 

Don't let my feelings get hurt over something as

simple as words.

always double check instructions!

Be careful. Be gentle. Be safe.

But know that bad things can happen away.

Bad things happen. Mistakes are made. People will unknowingly hurt or insult. Sometimes situations are not ideal. Sometimes it all happens at one time and can be overwhelming. The important thing is how you react. Getting upset is normal. I think being upset is invaluable, actually. Bad things happened! why would you be happy or indifferent about it? Being upset shows you care - you realize things are wrong and need to be better. Changes might need to be made. Lessons that need to be learned. 

So I was upset about all these things. Just for a bit. Then I talked to my good friend who is also a groomer. I told her all about it and how I'm a bad groomer and a horrible person. I tried really hard not to cry. Then she reminded me that I *am* a good groomer and a pretty ok person. We talked a little more and yeah, I remembered that I'm a good groomer. That I always do my best for my customers and my cats. That sometimes things suck and are unfair, and I do the best I can. And that's usually pretty damn good! Are there some things I should change? Yes. Are there some things I can't change and just have to deal with? Yep. Will it still hurt when I look back on today? Yeah, for a little bit longer.

There you go. A secret look into the life of a groomer. It's not always easy! But don't worry. I'll be back next week. I know that today is over. I know the things I did wrong. I know how to avoid them in the future. I know tomorrow is going to be a great day of grooming!

Also, for absolutely no reason at all, a picture of my dog in a pot.

um, you guys?

did you say Haiku Stew for dinner?

Shed Happens

Spring is here! It's been unseasonably warm here in Maryland and it feels like we never really had a winter. But most of our furry friends grew in a nice winter coat just in case. And with the exception of today and yesterday, it's been almost hot for several weeks. That means us people are ditching our sweatshirts and coats and our kitties (dogs, ponies, bunnies, etc) are trying to ditch their winter coats as well.

Cookie is SO EXCITED Springtime Shedding is here

So. Excited.

Now. Cats have hair. Generally speaking, hair grows to a genetically determined length and then it falls out. That's why short haired animals seem to shed WAY more than long haired. That short coat grows in very quickly and then it's done. Falls out so the next hair can grow in. Yes, this is a very simplified explanation, but I'm a cat groomer, not a scientist. Sadly, it took about 25 years for me to realize science is awesome, but that's another story. Anyway, cats are always shedding. Shedding hair, shedding skin cells. That's one of the reason regular grooming is so, so important. This constant growth and loss can make a real mess of things if the shedding hair gets trapped with the growing hair, whether it's old hair and new hair getting tangled together  or body oils, saliva or other gunk causing the hair to stick together. These are two examples of why/how mats are formed. 

That got wordy. The point is, it's shedding season! And what happens when cats shed out their winter (or summer!) coats?

Excessive shedding - gross!

Mats!

Also Gross

Now, regular grooming ( I recommend 6-8 weeks for long coated cats and 8-12 weeks for short coated cats. One average, some cats need to come in much sooner, some can go longer.) prevents most of your usual cat problems. Don't take my word for it, ask my regular customers! But even on a regular schedule, seasonal shedding can get a little out of control. 

Shedding season is happening right now! Put down your vacuum cleaners and Swiffers. It's way easier to have a fabulous cat groomer groom your cat than to do all that extra housework. Plus you get a clean, snuggly soft kitty!

Cookie the Scottish Fold (minus the fold)

After Grooming

After a Professional Groom

(Snowshoe Cat)

Ash. Some mats, some excessive shedding.

This gorgeous cat came in to see me recently. A young cat, I think Ash is just a year or two old. His owner loves his soft, silky coat and told me they thought it was more like rabbit fur than cat hair. He had some tangles, but nothing major and all underneath. I suggested a Full Belly Clip in addition to his Full Coat Groom. This translates to a nose to tail bath (multiple shampoos! Running water! A real bath, no "waterless shampoo" nonsense here!), blow dry, comb out, finishing spray, nail trim, ears wiped, and clipping his armpits, belly, inner thigh/groin area and just under the tail. The Full Belly Clip helps prevent mats and lessens how much brushing his owner needs to do. So that was our plan.

Then she mentioned he was shedding and maybe they should clip him short for the summer. 

Guys. I totally don't mind if you wand your cats shaved. I don't. That is 100% up to you, after all, it's your cat and you live with it and I don't. 

But if you ask me my opinion, I will give it to you.

And she asked what I thought. So I told her. Ash is gorgeous. He has a lovely coat. It's pretty, it's soft and it's shiny. Or would be, once he was groomed. Clearly, his owner loved his coat as well. And I'm sure that's one of the reasons why they got him. So I told her that if it was my cat, I would do the Full Coat Groom and Full Belly Clip. Keep his lovely coat. That shedding can be minimized with regular grooming. And if they really didn't like it or thought he was shedding too much, we could always do a Lion Clip later. But if were up to me, I'd keep his coat.

oh la. The things I put up with!

So that's what we did. I truly hope his owner is happy with staying in full coat. I think he's simply fabulous. I wish you could feel him! I promise you that those last two pictures are of the same cat. Isn't the difference amazing? Look at his stripes! 

Mackeral Tabby Stripes

now visible thanks to a good grooming

Of course, had his owner decided on the Lion Clip, I would have done it. Like I said, it's not my cat that I have to live with. I want the owner to get the haircut they want for their cat. But if you ask me what I would do...or leave the decision up to me, I'm gonna do what makes me happy. And keeping Ash in coat definitely made me happy!

Happy Spring!

Spring is here and the Himalayans are in bloom...

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring! I've been enjoying springtime weather for the past few weeks. Enjoying the heck out of it! I'll get a real post up soon (about shedding) but right now I'm going to take Haiku for a walk with my friend and her little dog. Hooray for Spring!