Have you been thinking about introducing a new cat into your home? Do you want to make the transition as smooth as possible? Are you worried about how this will affect your home’s other residents– your cat, dog, or baby?
Our friends at FIGO Pet Insurance have put together this excellent guide on how best to introduce a new cat to your home and its residents– feline, canine, and human.
Cat Transitions created by FIGO Pet Insurance.
If you’ve decided to become a pet owner for the first time, you’re in for an adventure. While there is a lot to consider in terms of preparation and lifestyle, it is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make. In order to ensure you’re the best owner you can possibly be, we’ve put together a few tips to make this process smoother.
Once you’ve realized you want a pet, you must decide what type and breed to get. There are some factors to consider that will help ensure you choose the right pet for you and your family:
Once you’ve chosen a pet, it’s important to prepare your home before the arrival. You want to make sure you remove any choking hazards from the floor, keep medications and cleaning chemicals out of reach, hide electrical cords, and so on. It’s also good to have the pet’s living area determined before they arrive. Make sure they have enough space to be comfortable, but not so much that they feel isolated from the rest of the family.
Also, plan to do a lot more cleaning, vacuuming, and dusting than you used to. Many people find that it’s worth the investment to hire professionals to clean their carpet and rugs. For instance, it cost homeowners in Miami, Florida, an average of $171 for a carpet cleaning. If you want to keep your furniture in good condition, look at the cost of upholstery cleaning.
Also, plan to do a lot more cleaning, vacuuming, and dusting than you used to. Many people find that it’s worth the investment to hire professionals to clean their carpet and rugs. For instance, it cost homeowners in Miami, Florida, an average of $171 for a carpet cleaning. If you want to keep your furniture in good condition, look at the cost of upholstery cleaning.
Once they come home, expect the acclimation process to take some time. You can help your pet settle in by bringing some of their old items into the home. Also, it’s essential that each person in the family understands their responsibilities when it comes to caring for the pet. This will not only ensure the pet gets fed, walked, and played with each day, but it will also help each person form a special bond with the pet. Pets value routine, so making sure everyone is consistent with their tasks will prove to the pet that they can depend on you.
If you’re thinking about getting a pet, you probably should. Just make sure you consider all the factors (size of the property, schedules, allergies, etc.) when choosing what type and breed to bring home. Also, be sure to prepare your home before the arrival so that it’s comfortable and safe for the pet. Finally, take steps to help the pet acclimate to their new environment so that bonds are formed and everyone is happy!
Special thanks for the above to our guest blogger: Jessica Brody, Our Best Friends
Congrats on your new puppy! Having a puppy in the house is exciting, fun, and full of new experiences. What you teach your puppy now will follow them into adulthood, so it’s important to set them up for success. There’s lots to consider regarding puppy grooming, so below are our recommendations for ensuring a top-notch first grooming experience so that your pup learns to love his groomer!
Puppies should be 12 weeks or older and in good health before being groomed for the first time. So, what do you do before then if your pup gets dirty? Use puppy wipes! We recommend Nature’s Miracle puppy wipes in particular. Remember to always adhere to the age restrictions on the packaging and avoid contact with the eyes.
Step one in a positive pet spa experience is getting your pup used to being handled the way a groomer would. Gently handle their paws, ears, face, belly, and tail. Groomers need to be able to trim nails, clean ears, shave bellies, and trim the fur around the face, ears, and tail. Gently teaching your pup that it’s okay to be handled will make their experience (and the groomer’s job!) that much better.
Not only will this process help your dog while at the groomer’s, but it’ll help make vet visits less stressful as well.
Step two is regular brushing. Whether your puppy is long-haired or short-haired, beginning the brushing habit early will ensure they learn to enjoy it as adults. Not to mention, regular brushing can also keep their skin and coat healthy, and prevent matting!
Give plenty of exercise before puppy’s first groom!
Grooming spas can be loud places with all sorts of fresh smells and contraptions, and a new human. It can be a scary place for a new pup! But teaching your pup early that grooming spas are actually fun places with awesome people (and tasty treats!) can have lasting effects into adulthood. When introducing them to the grooming salon for the first time, start slow.
At Scottie Paws, we recommend building up to a full grooming session. Here are some great suggestions:
A long walk or playtime beforehand will get rid of some of their excess energy and make for a less anxious visit.
Words of encouragement and a treat when they come in the door can go a long way– and every pup loves being told they’re a good boy or girl!
Bring them in for just a bath first, then a quick trim. Work your way up to nail trims and full haircuts. By the time it’s time for that haircut, they’ll be used to the sights, sounds, and smells of the salon.
One mistake we see too often is pet parents that wait a long time to bring their puppy in for their first visit. Bring them in as soon as they reach the 12 week mark and have their shots! The sooner the better when it comes to grooming.
Most groomers will expect one-on-one time with your pup. Why? Because dogs can act up when their owners are around, creating an unsafe environment for themselves and the grooming staff. We know it can be hard to be away from your pup, especially when they’re in a new environment. Stay calm. Dogs can sense your feelings; if you’re nervous, they’ll be nervous! Keep your exit short and sweet to minimize their anxiety and raise a more confident dog.
Finding the right grooming salon for your pet is an important part of the process. Look at their
website, read their requirements and specifications, check their reviews and referrals. Give them a call and ask questions; your potential new groomer should happily guide you through the process. When you’re ready, make that first bathing appointment and plan to drop in a bit ahead of your appointment to see the place for yourself. Does it smell good and look clean? Are pets supervised while being kennel dried? Do they use heated dryers, which can be dangerous?
At Scottie Paws, we believe in full transparency and proudly groom our customers in the front of the shop. We will also happily provide a tour of our space, showing you the bathing and drying areas as well. We only ask that you please exercise caution and listen to the instructions of our staff at all times– this is for your safety, as we do work with live animals.
Tell your groomer about any haircut specifics, as well as any medical or behavioral issues your pup may have. This will help the groomer best prepare and accommodate your pup’s needs!
Remember, your relationship with your groomer is based on mutual trust and love, and it will be a relationship you’ll be in for the rest of your dog’s life. Choose a salon that best fits your needs and those of your pup, and teach them early on that the groomer is their friend!
Ready for puppy’s first groom? We hope to see you soon!
In the world of pet grooming, we often have to say things that customers don’t want to hear. The most common? “Your dog is too matted for that cute haircut. We have to shave it.” We get it. You come in looking for a trim for your pet and we basically tell you we have no choice but to cut it all off. We don’t want to have to shave your dog completely, but sometimes we don’t have a choice. It’s disappointing for you, and it’s disappointing for us.
But that’s not all. Matting is hard on your dog, too. Matted fur can pull skin and cause irritation, prevent your pup from properly self-grooming, hide sores, trap dirt, bugs, and odors, and can ultimately prove painful for your pet when the time comes to remove the matting. We’ve seen some awful cases of severely matted pets! Don’t let your dog be one of them by following these seven easy steps.
Pets with shorter hair may only need brushing once a week; for longer-haired pets, they may need to be brushed daily or every other day. Make it a part of your pet’s routine!
Different brushes for different coats
Regular brushing can also help with early detection of skin issues, help with shedding by removing loose hair (trust us- better to collect that shedded fur on your brush than your floor!), and helps distribute their natural oils for a shiny, healthy coat.
While many pets love being brushed, if yours is nervous, let them sniff the brush or comb first, provide treats, speak softly, and keep sessions short at first. With time, you’ll be able to increase brushing time until it becomes a favorite activity!
Small tangles eventually become big ones, so get rid of them when you first find them! If you can’t work out a knot with your hands or gently brush it out with your comb, carefully cut it out.
In addition to regular brushing, your pet will benefit from regular grooming. A professional bath with pet-specific detangling shampoos and conditioners, a complete brush-out, and a fresh haircut go a long way in keeping your pet’s coat clean, shiny, and healthy.
A healthy dog is a happy dog!
If your dog or cat is already matted, even just a little bit, take them to the groomer for a shave-down and start fresh. Ignoring the problem will only make it worse! We know many of our pet parents love keeping their dogs and cats long-haired but a proper trim or shave is sometimes the only option for severely matted pets. So their hair may be shorter than you like for a bit– that’s okay! The hair will grow back and, through proper maintenance, you’ll be enjoying your pet’s silky long hair in no time!
With severely matted pets, a shave-down will be the most humane option. Heavy mats pull at the skin, and attempting to brush them out will be a long and painful process for your pet. To prevent this from happening, remember to properly maintain your pet’s coat!
Ready to call in the pros?
This week, we’re bringing you this awesome infographic on cat grooming. Remember, if you’re looking for cat grooming in Miami, Scottie Paws has you covered!
Let’s start with a knowledge check. True or false: cats groom themselves and never need professional grooming.
Click to Enlarge
The answer? Both true and false! While cats are great self-groomers, they do need help sometimes. This week, we’re tackling cat grooming best practices — and including a great infographic for you, too!
Brushing has a lot of great benefits for your feline friend. Because brushing is enjoyed by many (but not all) cats, it helps strengthen the physical bond between the two of you. Beyond that, it also has several great health and beauty benefits, including increased blood flow and shinier fur. Brushing also helps remove dead hair, dirt, dust, and fleas, and can prevent hairballs!
We all know the saying “curiosity killed the cat”. Cats are curious by nature, so be sure to let your cat inspect the brushes before using them. Be gentle when brushing and listen to your cat! If they are uncomfortable or don’t allow you to brush a certain section — like the belly — stop.
More serious matting may require the help of a professional groomer. And you’re in luck! Scottie Paws in Miami offers cat grooming to help your feline friend look and feel their best.
Regular nail trims are an important part of cat grooming. Not only will it save your furniture and hands during playtime, but nail trims will also help prevent snagging. If your cat does snag their nail on something, they can hurt themselves when trying to break free.
You may not be able to clip all the nails in one go. That’s okay! Take it slow and do only what the cat will allow.
Nails are a natural first line of defense for cats. Declawing removes not just the nail but the entire first knuckle — imagine living without the first knuckle on all your fingers and toes! Because you’re removing an important defense, declawed cats can display increased signs of aggression, including biting and hissing.
Scratching posts, regular nail trims, and even cat nail caps are a great, healthy alternative to declawing.
You may prefer to hire a professional to trim your cat’s nails. Professional groomers know all the right techniques to provide a quick and effective nail trim, and keeps you from having to do it. When looking for cat grooming in Miami, give Scottie Paws a call!
I know what you’re thinking. You’ve watched your cat carefully lick themselves for hours, how could they possibly need a bath?
While it’s true that cats have special tools to keep themselves clean (their tongues actually have “spines” made of keratin — just like human nails!), there comes a time when kitty may need an extra hand. If you need to get something off your cat’s coat — like if, for example, they rubbed on something potentially toxic — or if you have an obese kitty who can’t fully groom themselves, bath-time may be the best solution.
Ensure your cat’s nails are trimmed and they’ve been brushed ahead of their bath. Use a cup or pitcher to wet your cat’s coat with warm water. Pro-tip: if it feels hot to you, it’s too hot for your cat. Lather their body and be careful to avoid their eyes, ears, and face.
I’ll be honest — bathing a cat is hard! It is made easier with the help of a second person or with the help of a grooming professional.
As with all grooming, it is best to expose your cat to it when they’re young, whether you’re doing it yourself or leaving it to the pros. Keep sessions short, provide treats and praise, and make the experience a happy one!