Cat-only groomer vs a dog groomer who also takes cats

The difference is what a cat hears and smells between the car and the table. In a cat-only shop there is nothing canine to manage. In a groomer who takes both, the separation has to be built: a room for cats, handling by people who work with cats, and a route from the door that keeps the cat away from the dog floors. The feline environment guidelines from the International Society of Feline Medicine and the American Association of Feline Practitioners make the same point for clinics: exposure to other species can be reduced, and spaces can be designed to lower a cat's stress.

At Dogtown, cats are groomed in a quiet room away from the dog areas by our cat behavior specialists, using gentle technique and as little restraint as the job allows. Every cat is assessed at the start of the visit so the service fits its coat and temperament. Prices go by service rather than weight: Minimal Trims, a trim and partial shave with no bath, is $45; the Full Bath, with nails and a brush-out, is $95; Full Service, a full bath plus shaving, trims and nails, is $120; and nail clipping on its own is $20.

Some cats are better off where there are no dogs at all. The cat who goes rigid at a bark through a window, the cat who has been attacked by a dog, and the cat who is panting in the carrier before the car has left the driveway all start the visit at a disadvantage in a building with dogs. For these cats a cat-only groomer, or a veterinary groom if handling itself is the problem, is the kinder choice, and we would rather say so than book them.

A separate cat room works well for the many cats who are wary rather than terrified: the long-haired cat with a matted belly, the senior who has stopped grooming its back end, the shedding shorthair in spring. It also suits households with a dog who already comes to Dogtown for daycare, since one trip down Eastern Ave might cover both; ask the front desk whether the cat's appointment can line up with the dog's drop-off. A cat with a wound, a skin infection or pain belongs with a vet first.

On Cape Ann, long-haired cats often reach spring with coats dried out by months of indoor heat, just as the spring shed begins. Book the Full Bath or Minimal Trims before the shed turns to felt, because a cat with widespread mats needs Full Service at $120 and more time on the table, which is exactly what a nervous cat does not want. Cats adopted through Cape Ann Animal Aid, the no-kill shelter in Gloucester, sometimes arrive with neglected coats, and their first groom is best kept short.

When we refer a cat, it goes to your own vet first. The City of Gloucester keeps a list of local and emergency veterinary offices, and the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn is open 24 hours. Dogtown's studio is at 210 Eastern Ave in Gloucester, a short drive from Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, and the building opens at 6:30 AM on weekdays and 8 AM on Saturdays.