North Shore cat grooming
Cat groomer on the North Shore, MA
Plenty of groomers on the North Shore work only with dogs, which leaves cat owners from Salem to Rockport with few places to call. Here is what each of our four cat services includes, how a cat is handled from carrier to carrier, and what happens when a cat should not be groomed that day.
Who drives in
Cat owners from Salem, Beverly and Cape Ann make the drive because few North Shore groomers take cats at all
Dog groomers are easy to find on the North Shore. Groomers who will take a cat are not, and the ones that do are spread thin. For an owner in Salem, Peabody, Danvers or Beverly, Gloucester is 25 to 35 minutes up Route 128 outside rush hour, by our estimate, which is a reasonable trip for a cat who needs the whole coat done. Common reasons to book are a long-haired cat with mats along the belly, a senior who no longer reaches its back, and a heavy shedder.
Closer in, Rockport is 10 to 15 minutes away and Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea about 20. Cape Ann households with a dog at Dogtown can book both animals on one visit: the dog goes to its playgroup, and the cat goes to the quiet room away from the dog areas. Bring your cat in a secure carrier, and leave yourself a few minutes at check-in to describe the coat and anything in your cat's history that might matter on the table.
- Long-haired cats with mats on the belly, armpits or britches
- Seniors who no longer reach their backs
- Heavy shedders and cats with greasy or dander-heavy coats
- Indoor cats whose nails need a regular trim
Four services
Four services from $20 to $120, matched to the coat after a look at it
Full Service, at $120, is the complete groom: a full bath plus shaving, trims and nails, the right choice for a matted long coat or a lion cut. The Full Bath, at $95, is water, nails and a brush-out, for a cat whose coat has gone greasy or dull or simply needs a reset. Minimal Trims, at $45, skip the water entirely: a trim and partial shaving for a few mats, the sanitary area or a tidy-up between full grooms. A nail trim on its own is $20.
The service you book is a starting point. Every cat is evaluated before service for coat condition and temperament, and that check can change the plan: a cat booked for a Full Bath whose mats sit tight against the skin may need shaving rather than water, and a cat who is not coping may get only the essentials that day. The check exists so the treatment fits the cat on the table, not the one in the booking.
| Service | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Full Service | $120 | Full bath, shaving, trims and nails |
| Full Bath | $95 | Bath, nails and brush-out |
| Minimal Trims | $45 | Trim and partial shaving, no bath |
| Nail clipping for cats | $20 | Nails only |
The quiet room
A cat groom happens in a quiet room away from the dogs, at the cat's pace
Cats at Dogtown are groomed in a quiet space set apart from the play floors and the dog grooming studio. Our cat behavior specialists handle with minimal restraint and an unhurried pace, read the cat's body language as they go, and stop before stress builds rather than after. Products are gentle and cat-safe, and drying after a bath is careful, for long coats and short ones, because a damp cat in a Cape Ann February is nobody's goal.
Some cats cannot be groomed safely on a given day: a cat in real distress, a coat matted so tight to the skin that handling hurts, or skin that looks sore or broken under the mats. In those cases we stop, explain what we saw, and refer you to your veterinarian, who can examine the skin and decide how the coat should come off. That is not a failed appointment; it is the reason the check happens first.
- 01
Book online or in the app; no evaluation appointment
- 02
Arrive with your cat in a secure carrier
- 03
Coat condition and temperament checked before any service
- 04
The groom in the quiet room, with pauses as the cat needs them
- 05
Careful drying after any bath
- 06
Pick up your cat, or a vet referral if a groom would not be safe
Why Dogtown
Owners choose us for cat behavior specialists, a room of its own and prices published in full
Cat grooming here has its own room, its own handlers and its own price list. It is run by cat behavior specialists whose job is to notice the flattened ears, the tail flick or the sudden stillness before a cat escalates, and to change course when they see it. The prices are on the page, so you know before you book that Full Service is $120 and a nail trim $20, and you can compare that with any quote you have had elsewhere.
It also helps that your cat is coming to a business that handles animals all day. The front desk, the app and the online booking are the same ones our dog families use, so a household with a dog at daycare and a cat on the grooming calendar deals with one team, one phone number and one set of reminders. If your cat has a history that does not fit a booking form, call 978 491-5922 first.
- A quiet room set apart from the dog areas
- Cat behavior specialists, minimal restraint and an unhurried pace
- Coat and temperament checked before every groom
- A vet referral when a groom would not be safe
Getting here
Take Route 128 to its end; cat appointments are booked online for weekdays and Saturdays
From Salem, Peabody, Danvers or Beverly, follow Route 128 north to its end in East Gloucester; 210 Eastern Ave is a short drive from there. From Ipswich, take Route 133 through Essex and join 128 in West Gloucester, about 30 minutes in all by our estimate. We are open Monday to Friday 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 6 PM. Sunday is kept for overnight-stay pick-up and drop-off for dogs, so cat grooming happens Monday through Saturday.
Book online through MoeGo or in the Dogtown app, or call if you would rather talk first about a past bad groom or a health condition. Plan to bring your cat yourself: the Pup Van is listed for dog daycare, Academy and overnight stays. A carrier with a towel over it and a midday appointment that keeps you off Route 128 in the 4 PM traffic make the trip easier on everyone in the car.
At Dogtown
Cat grooming, and the dog services under the same roof
The cat studio first; if a dog shares your home, the grooming and daycare it can book on the same trip.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Do you groom cats who hate being handled?
What is the difference between Minimal Trims and Full Service?
Will my cat be near dogs during the groom?
How far is Dogtown from Salem with a cat in the car?
Will you shave my cat?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Keep reading
Next step
Book your cat into the quiet room.
Choose Full Service, Full Bath, Minimal Trims or a $20 nail trim online. Every cat is checked before the groom begins.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
