Here’s how you can prepare your cat for their in-home grooming appointment
The best reason to schedule an in-home nail trim or other grooming service for your cat is that you won’t stress yourself or your cat with the carrier wrangling, travel, unfamiliar noises, too hot or too cold weather, barking dogs, the smell of other animals, and all the other stressors that go along with exposing them to the hassles of taking them out of their home.
For some cats though this doesn’t mean it’s easy peasy. There is still the element of having a stranger in their space who will be handling them. That cats I’ve groomed so far have been pretty easy to groom. I’ve been told I have ‘the touch’ with cats, but I’m certain they still wonder, ‘Who is this woman and why is she touching my paws?’
I always ground myself before coming into their space, but sometimes their owners haven’t. Keep in mind that cats are highly intuitive creatures, so be sure your own energy is calm before the appointment. If they pick up on your stress or anxiousness before or during the nail trim appointment, it can negatively affect the outcome. The most important tip for success is to create a calm environment so they relax as much as possible.
For all of my clients so far, I am their first in-home groomer, so it’s not something they or their cat has experienced. For this reason, I created this protocol list of tips to prepare your cat for their in-home grooming appointment to ensure the best outcome for all. As part of my confirmation communication process, I share these tips before each appointment.
Following these tips to prepare your cat for their in-home grooming appointment, greatly increases their comfort level and decreases their stress levels
- Turn off any loud sounds such as the TV or other appliances
- Put on music created just for cats
- Play with them beforehand to help them release some of their energy in a healthy way
- Gather their favorite treats and toys
- Minimize any possible escape routes by closing off doors (especially to bedrooms where they can easily hide under the bed)
- If you use pheromone sprays such as Feliway, spray the area just before I arrive
- Have paper towels nearby
- I will have a specially made cat swaddle with me as well as a towel/blanket, but if they have a favorite blanket with their scent on it, have that nearby
- I use a Furminator brush, but if you cat prefers their own with their scent on it, I can use that (however, if you cat has matting, I will have to use the Furminator)
- If there are others who will home during the time of our appointment, share this information with them as well so they keep the noise level down
- If there’s a dog in the house who barks when people enter, consider having them in another room
For cats who can be “feisty,” (you know what I mean LOL) you may want to consider using a calming solution to ease their stress. If you’re using a prescription such as Gabapentin, be sure to administer it 90-120 minutes before the appointment so it doesn’t wear off. If you’re using a holistic solution such as calming chews or Rescue Remedy, carefully follow their manufacturer’s directions for timing of administering it.
After their in-home grooming session is over, I recommend keeping the same calming environment for them to decompress. They’ll let you know when they’re back to normal.
Your cat will appreciate the care you took in take these steps to prepare them for their in-home grooming appointment.
Want this in a downloadable PDF checklist? Get it here.
Still have questions? Our FAQ page is here to help as is our What to Expect page.
Read to schedule your cat’s in-home nail trim appointment? You can do that here.
