Hairballs are dangerous and disgusting!

Hairballs are dangerous and disgusting!

Hairballs are just a nuisance!  While Kitty’s Purrfect Spa wished that to be true, they can be much more serious!

What is a Hairball?

It has been long thought that hairballs were the result of self grooming.  When cats lick themselves, the dead fur was swallowed and what was not passed through the digestive system was brought back up and regurgitated.  Recent studies are leaning more toward hair balls being the result of a possible issues with the intestines and/or how digested food moves between the stomach and intestines.  If your cat suffers from daily or weekly hairballs, your first step should always be to seek veterinary advice.

Why are Hairballs Dangerous?

Hair can actually get backed up and packed into your Kitty’s body.  Blockages from hair can occur anywhere in the digestive system.  When these blockages occur, surgery may be your only option. If your kitty experiences Continuous hacking that does not produce a fur ball, frequent diarrhea or loss of appetite you should seek medical help to get to the bottom of the issue.

How Can I Reduce Hairballs In My Home?

Kitty's Purrfect Spa has developed a six month program that will improve your Kitty’s coat condition, in turn reducing the amount of dead hair ingested by your beloved family member.  In addition to feeding your Kitty a high quality food recommended by your veterinarian we are convinced the amount of hair in your home and in your kitty can be significantly reduced.

What Proof Do You Have Your Methods are Successful?

I personally own two domestic long hair cats.  Before I attended the National Cat Groomers Institute of America, I only gave an occasional brushing session to my kitties in addition to hairball food and the occasional dose of hairball medication.  While attending NCGIA, I learned how dangerous and easily preventable fur balls can be.  I was not a believer, however my almost white carpets needed me to give it a try! Victoria, who was 11 at the time, began to receive a bath and brush every four to six weeks and a full belly shave about every eight to sixteen weeks.  Victoria went from having a hairball about twice a week to having no hairballs for over six months now.  I chose a full belly shave for Victoria because she is a shy and sensitive kitty.  I did not think she would appreciate the feeling of not having fur, as it would make her feel more exposed.

Tatianna, 10, is a more outgoing kitty.  She loves her Lion Cuts!  Before her first lion cut, she had hairballs almost daily, now she has about two a month. It took both kitties about four to six weeks to stop having their puking parties.  However, once the excess hair was out of their system my carpet cleaning was reduced significantly!  The results were delightfully surprising and made me a true believer that long hair kitties do not need to suffer from the menacing hairball!

In Conclusion....

Currently, I have many kitties on regular (four to eight week) maintenance plans that are also enjoy the huge reduction in hairballs!I strongly believe that regular grooming can and will reduce hairball issues in healthy cats. Please call for more information on hairball prevention!  661-505-0397

June 2014, Kitty's Purrfect Spa Newsletter

Why Does My Cat Shed More RIGHT After a Groom?

Many clients are surprised when Kitty’s Purrfect Spa hands Kitty back to them and hair is flying everywhere! WHY does this happen???  Doesn’t Kitty’s Purrfect Spa claim to have all the answers for our Kitty’s coat issues???

Cats shed after a groom for two main reasons. First, even though Kitty’s Purrfect Spa comes to your home and monitors Kitty for signs of stress, grooming can still be a stressful process until it is something Kitty understands and comes to expect. Just like the things you have to do once a year verses monthly. The less often we do something, the more anxiety/excitement we have. The same is true for Kitty. With regular grooming Kitty will become accustomed to the grooming process. Kitty will know that Kitty’s Purrfect Spa will always groom her with the same steps and this will make Kitty less anxious. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa “regulars” know that after the cologne is sprayed, they are going to be placed in their owner’s arms. Many feline clients will sit patiently and wait in front of the door, even if they were grumpy during the groom, because they know they are finished!

A second reason your cat sheds more right after a groom is that the warm bath water opens up the hair follicles and provides the perfect time for the hairs that were getting ready to leave the coat to come out. (Just like when you shower, your hair is more likely to come out.) The same is true for Kitty.

If your Kitty does have some loose fur immediately following the groom, please be sure in 24 to 48 hours it will stop, and you will be noticing much less Kitty hair everywhere!

Kitty’s Purrfect Spa Offers a Professional De Shed Treatment.

During this add on service, Kitty’s dead undercoat is literally sucked out. This does not hurt Kitty in any way and some of Kitty’s Purrfect Spa “regulars” don’t consider their groom over until they have their De Shed treatment! This treatment helps significantly reduce the amount of hair you will find around your home and on your clothes.

The most effective way to have Kitty’s shedding under control is regular grooming by a highly trained professional cat groomer.  In order to help you with shedding, Kitty’s Purrfect Spa offers special rates for cats on a regular schedule. Please call for more details! 661-505-0397.

May 3, 2014, Kitty's Purrfect Spa Newsletter

Hair, Hair Everywhere!

Please help me!  My cat is shedding by the handfuls!

“There is cat hair everywhere. How can I keep my cat’s shedding to a minimum? What really is the best way since there are so many opinions being promoted? I don’t know what’s best!  HELP!”

At Kitty’s Purrfect Spa we hear this all the time. Some shedding is normal and healthy. However excess shedding can be controlled. A recent cat publication suggested three steps to make life with cats that shed easier: 1.) Groom regularly (bath and comb), 2.) Feed a balanced diet (recommended by a vet), and 3.) Keep fur under control (easier said than done). While Kitty’s Purrfect Spa agrees with these steps, we can see how difficult it is for owners to understand them, let alone follow them correctly.

Regular grooming (bath and comb) is essential to reduce shedding! Some owners will skip the bath and go right for the comb out. This is when problems occur! If you attempt to comb out a greasy, matted kitty it will not end well.  Essentially you will be pulling on the coat, causing discomfort to your cat and in turn provoking an aggressive reaction from Kitty because it HURTS! Kitty’s Purrfect Spa knows many owners do not understand that cats with shedding problems may need to be bathed as often as every two weeks with a feline safe degreasing product. The bottom line is that excessive shedding may be the result of too little or improper grooming.

Eating a balanced diet is good advice for both humans and animals. The problem is that many humans don’t know what a balanced diet is when it comes to their cat. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa recommends that owners feed their cats the diet recommended by their veterinarian. Your veterinarian will have the best understanding and up to date information for the different foods on the market, as well as any health or life stage issues of your Kitty. This makes your veterinarian the best resource you have in choosing the correct diet for your Kitty. Remember that even though you view your kitty as a human member of your family, their physiology is not exactly human. They will require a diet suitable  to their feline biology.

When it comes to keeping fur under control owners can be overwhelmed by all the product options offered at their favorite pet stores. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa recently visited one well-known pet store and counted no less than 18 products ranging in price from $5 to $50 dollars. While all of these products guaranteed the removal of excess fur, some of these products had very sharp metal edges and those sold as professional grooming tools  contained actual razor blades. Such products may not be the safest or even best way to remove Kitty’s dead undercoat (excess fur). When buying  a “De Shed” product always do your research!  Read up on exactly how the item you plan to purchase removes the dead fur. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa  is aware of at least three different tools that are problematic. One product is known to scrape off and even cut off the delicate living feline fur, in addition to the dead undercoat. A second product had clever advertising. It showed the dangers of the first product while claiming to be safer. However, the blades were as close together as a flea comb, which means it would pull the cat’s hair (hurting Kitty) and ending up in a battle of wills between human and Kitty! The last product Kitty’s Purrfect Spa saw was not able to produce better results than just petting Kitty with your hand.

Shopping for a tool to De Shed Kitty is difficult because you just can’t be certain it will safely and effectively produce the desired results! Some owners purchase expensive De Shedding tools, attempt to use them on Kitty, Kitty gets angry, and the tools are never used again. The primary reason these products are ineffective and often times unsafe is because they were originally designed for use by professionally trained groomers.

How does Kitty’s Purrfect Spa solve the problem of shedding?

We have a proven process! First, we give Kitty a warm water massage bath with our kitty-safe degreasing product. Next we use a force dryer process to blow out all the loose hair. This is not only effective, but most cats enjoy this less stressful way of hair removal. For cats with a  thick under coat or that are simply prone to shedding, we add our De Shed Treatment, which consists of a suction vacuum with a special attachment that safely sucks out and removes all the dead under coat. For cats prone to hairball issues, Kitty’s Purrfect Spa recommends shaving Kitty’s belly. When more drastic measures are required, our lion cut is an excellent option. With a lion cut Kitty’s Purrfect Spa will shave the body of your kitty leaving the head, legs and tail in full coat.

Kitty’s Purrfect Spa has proven De Shedding options that our clients are extremely satisfied with! Give us six months to prove to you that with our regular grooming procedures, Kitty’s Purrfect Spa can solve your Kitty’s excess shedding problems!

Published May 1, 2014 Kitty's Purrfect Spa Newsletter

Just a Brush Out Please!

Many times clients call Kitty’s Purrfect Spa with a problem. For example, Kitty has a mat in the middle of her back. The Human wants the problem fixed, they know Kitty is uncomfortable, they know Kitty won’t let the Human solve the problem their way, so they call us to solve it the way the Human believes it should be solved. When we have a problem this serious, most of us do not walk into the doctor’s office or mechanics garage and tell them how to fix what is broken. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa fully understands the emotional bond you have with your beloved feline. We understand you only want the best for Kitty. We also know that you would do no less for your child.

This is precisely why you called a Certified Feline Master Groomer. A groomer who ONLY grooms cats. A groomer who comes to your home, and grooms in the most comfortable and stress-free environment for your Kitty. A groomer who is trained in cat psychology. A groomer who is trained to look for feline signs of stress and possible medical issues.

Kitty’s Purrfect Spa understands it is a shock to you when we politely tell you, no, we will not just brush out Kitty. Each and every Kitty we groom gets the full package!  Paw-di-cure, warm water massage with degreaser in the bath, facial, ear cleaning, room temperature drying, and a comb out. Depending on Kitty’s coat condition and owner preference we may add to our basic service.

WHY? WHY would you force my cat to have a bath? Kitty’s Purrfect Spa firmly believes a bath solves many issues. First, it degreases the coat preventing matting and in its worst form pelting. It open up the hair follicles promoting a healthy growth cycle. Forced air drying allows us to view every inch of kitty’s skin. Many times we have found lumps, bumps, and injuries the humans were not aware of. Ear cleaning allows Kitty’s Purrfect Spa to notify the owner of excess wax or ear mites, both reasons for a vet visit. A facial allows us to look for any eye, ear, nose, and sometimes mouth problems that need professional attention.

Also, time after time, Kitty’s Purrfect Spa has observed the transformation in a clean kitty. Most of them want to show off! They seek extra attention and petting! By allowing Kitty’s Purrfect Spa to perform all grooms to the level of a Master Groomer, you will be notified of any issues that you many need to see a vet regarding, you prevent bigger difficulties in the future, and you allow your Kitty to feel amazing and frisky again!

Published April 8, 2014 Kitty's Purrfect Spa Newsletter

Pelted Kitties are in Pain! How you can help.

Saving Pelted Kitties!

Kitty’s Purrfect Spa a In-Home Mobile cat groomer in Santa Clarita keeps talking about pelts, pelting and the like! What is all this talk about??? The short answer is a pelt is the extreme form of matting. A pelted kitty is when the fur has completely grown together and you cannot physically get your fingers to the skin. Pelted kitties are a medical emergency! A pelt can kill any kitty! At the worst a pelt can literally bind the kitty’s legs to the body and block off the openings to defecate. If the kitty does not starve from lack of mobility, it will literally rot from the inside from a backup of waste.

How does a pelt form? It starts slowly then quickly grows out of control. At one point the regular oils, grease and debris stop allowing the dead hair from leaving the coat. (Stop here, a professional grooming by a trained cat groomer could prevent all your problems!

This dead fur begins to get trapped in the fur that is still in the growth cycle. (Stop here, you have mats!) Kitty begins to feel pain at this point in the process. The more time that moves on the more mats form. They usually start at the base of the tail and hips. As time moves on, the mats get tighter and closer to the skin. The longer the human waits to have Kitty’s pelt removed, the tighter, more painful and more dangerous the mats become.

Once the mats reach skin level and cover over 25% of kitty’s body, you have four options. First, take care of it yourself, which I am sure you have already tried. Take it to a groomer who is not highly trained and certified in feline exclusive grooming and risk a higher possibility of an accident. Have a certified feline master groomer, come to you and work in your home (Kitty’s most stress-free environment). Or take kitty to the vet to go under anesthesia for a shave down.

Many times I have heard, we did not know. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa does not judge! We believe strongly in education. We have solutions to prevent this situation from ever happening again! Yes it is expensive to have a pelt removed. Why? Because it takes a groomers full concentration and a high skill and education level. The groomer needs to be in tune with your kitty and able to anticipate your kitty’s next move before kitty makes it.

The process is highly demanding mentally, physically and emotionally on the groomer. Kitty’s Purrfect Spa has an excellent safety record. We strive every day to maintain this record at all costs! Kitty’s well being is our number one goal at Kitty’s Purrfect Spa. Therefore we have developed a program for the pelted kitty! We will remove the pelt, return for three additional baths, and spread the payments out over six months while providing you a discounted rate.

Kitty’s Purrfect Spa wants all kitties to be healthy, happy and well taken care of! Please call us immediately if you suspect your Kitty is mated or pelted. We’re here to help.


Published April 8, 2014

Cats and Allergies

Allergists are now recognizing (what many of us have known forever) that cats ARE a part of the family - and removing the cat is not an option – so, we have to figure out WHAT TO DO!

Let’s start by understanding why many people are “allergic” to cats.  The first reason is that common allergens, such as pollen and dust, just collect – and often get stuck – in Kitty’s fur.  Once we’re past the more common allergens, the culprits have to do with an allergy to proteins found in feline saliva, urine, and dander.  Felines have at least five proteins that can be allergens for humans. (For the scientists — the two major allergens are Fel d 1 and Fel d 4. The minor allergens include Fel d 2, Fel d 3, and cat IgA.)  Unlike the pollen and dust (that just fall or are rubbed into Kitty’s hair), these more complex allergens are deposited in the fur from saliva, urine and the skin.  Cat allergen particles are sticky and small.  At a miniscule size – about one tenth the size of a dust mite particle – they can remain airborne for long periods of time, and then can “stick” to any surface they come into contact with.

What can a cat loving family do?  When divorcing the cat is NOT an option – the easiest (and most reliable solution) is a professional cat groomer!

When it’s “Groomer vs Allergen” what happens?

During each groom at Kitty’s Spa, Kitty’s fur is thoroughly washed and blow dried, which “unglues” and removes most of the allergens and dead fur from Kitty’s coat.  This leaves you with a soft and cuddly Kitty who doesn’t cause a sneeze-fest every time you pet her!

By placing Kitty on a four to six week bath and brush schedule, the professional groomer is able to keep the allergens from building up on the cat’s coat.  A regular routine of professional grooming significantly decreases the amounts of allergens your family is exposed to.

Keeping your family (Humans and Kitty) intact and happy is not easy when humans are allergic.  Many cat owners can’t imagine giving the cat a bath!  In fact, some people don’t even realize that cats CAN be bathed!  By reducing the allergens through regular bathing, my family was able to win the battle and I would like to help your family also make it a reality!

Please contact Kitty’s Spa at www.kittysspa.com for more information.

Published September 2013, The Magazine of Santa Clarita