Frequently asked questions
Clear answers before a feline grooming appointment.
Use this page for the practical questions that come up across coat care, bathing, matting, haircuts, senior care, claws, handling, pricing, and locations.
General guidance
Questions guardians ask most often
Open each question for a direct answer, then follow the related hub when more context is needed.
Do cats need professional grooming?
Some do not. Others need support because of coat density, oil, shedding, matting, hygiene, age, body size, pain, illness, claws, or inability to tolerate complete home care.
Do you groom cats without sedation?
Many appointments are completed awake. No responsible site can promise one method for every cat before evaluating health, urgency, behavior, and the task. Medication decisions belong with a veterinarian.
What is TANDEM Cat® grooming?
It is a team-based model in which support, observation, positioning, and technical grooming are coordinated rather than requiring one person to do everything at once.
What should I book for a matted cat?
Use the matted coat route, upload or send current photos where the booking system allows, and describe whether the coat feels hard, connected, webbed, greasy, or close to the skin.
Can mats be brushed out?
Small loose tangles may be releasable. Tight mats, connected webbing, and coat near the skin should not be repeatedly pulled. Controlled clipping may be the safer intervention.
Should I cut a mat out with scissors?
No. Cat skin is thin, mobile, and can be drawn into a mat. Scissor injuries are a serious risk when the skin edge is hidden.
How much does grooming cost?
Current starting points are shown on the pricing page. Final cost can change with coat condition, time, staffing, service sequence, handling, and medical complexity.
Where are the grooming locations?
Cats in the City provides grooming at Powell in Portland and on SW Hall Boulevard in Beaverton. Use the locations page and booking portal for current availability.
Can senior cats be groomed?
Often, yes, with a plan shaped around current health, mobility, endurance, hygiene urgency, and tolerance rather than age alone.
Can a cat with a medical condition be groomed?
Possibly. The specific diagnosis, current stability, symptoms, medication, veterinary guidance, and grooming task all matter. Some cats need clearance or a veterinary setting.
Do all cats receive a bath?
No. Bathing is often valuable, but the team selects components based on the individual cat and the priority problem.
Will a lion cut solve matting permanently?
A lion cut resets coat length. Regrowth, undercoat density, self-grooming, health, home care, and the next appointment interval determine whether matting returns.
How often should claws be trimmed?
Many cats benefit from checks every few weeks, but growth, age, activity, scratching, claw thickness, and health change the interval.
What should I tell the team about behavior?
Describe exactly what happened during brushing, claw care, veterinary handling, or previous grooming: body position, sound, biting, scratching, elimination, escape, shutdown, medication, and where care stopped.
Is grooming veterinary care?
No. Grooming may reveal observations worth documenting, but diagnosis, treatment, pain management, wound care, and medical decisions belong with a veterinarian.
Still deciding
Three useful next routes
The site is designed so a guardian does not need to read every page before booking.
Next step
The booking notes are part of the care plan.
Share complete history rather than waiting for the appointment to explain major coat, medical, or behavior concerns.