anyone for april ?

April Maintenance appointments …..We’ll soon be getting in touch with existing customers who we think may want an April maintenance appointment (that is April, not March – March slots are as good as booked up).

As ever : If you see this message before we contact you, please don’t be shy and get in touch – as it’s becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate everyone’s hectic schedules.

Thanks !

tiny bear

Please say a big Hi to this little fellow.  Bear.

Bear is a 5 month old Silver Tabby Maine Coon, who is a fairly new addition to his family in Hoghton, Lancashire.  Saying that however, Bear has certainly settled in well and enjoys life to the full.  Every day is an adventure for him and he’s so cheeky, nosey and playful.  He’s getting on well with his housemate, Eloise – although Eloise is definitely the boss.  As it should be !

Today’s session with Bear was just about nail clipping.  He’d already been up on the grooming table before the session – you know, just checking things out.  When he was placed back up there, he was very squirmy to begin with, but did manage to lie down whilst we did the clipping – which didn’t phase him one bit.

At the moment, Bear’s coat is quite light and fluffy and doesn’t really need combing.  However, mum does comb him – just to get him used to the discipline of it and to show him that it can be enjoyable.

Well done Bear !  Such a cute little man !

lovely meascha

A big welcome to 10 month old Meascha from Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Meascha is a tabby Maine Coon who lives with her littermate and mum and dad, and really enjoys life !  She is such a loving, friendly girl – and she adores cuddling up to mum and being brushed.  What a good girl !!

So, today’s session was about a brush out.  A couple of small tangles were developing underneath, but nothing that couldn’t easily be combed out.  We don’t think that Meascha minded, either way.  She just liked all the fuss and attention the session brought with it !

After the session, mum Peggy said :

“My precious babies looking like little angels thanks to Sandra who was/is a kind and caring groomer.  Their first visit looking forward to next time.  Love from Misty, Meascha n their Mummy n Daddy xxxx”

What a chilled session, Meascha – and you look so comfy in your favourite box ! Well done chick and see you again in a few weeks time.

our sophie

We met up again with little Sophie, who is celebrating her first birthday this month !  Happy birthday Sophie !

We see Sophie in Burnley, Lancashire on a regular basis, but her coat is always in need of a good brush out.  Being a Persian, it is the most thick coat you can imagine.  Underneath, although not matted, was thick and tangly so it quite hard going for Sophie.  We’ve decided that next session we’ll clip Sophie’s belly coat short, to make it easier all round.

What is nice to report is that since our sessions began, mum has noticed that Sophie self grooms more.  She ups the anti just after a session, then as the weeks go on the self grooming slowly declines.  This shows that she really does feel more in control when she has just had a groom and her coat isn’t as overwhelming.

Well done Sophie. See you again soon.

elegant eloise

It was recently time to meet up with our friend Eloise in Hoghton, Lancashire, once again.

Eloise is now 2 years old, and quite a hefty lass – although as a Maine Coon, she’s not yet fully grown.  This breed reaches maturity around 4 years old.

Eloise likes to play out in the woods and comes homes with all sorts of undergrowth and debris hiding in her long coat.  Mum removes what she can at source – when Eloise returns from her travels – but we usually find some evidence hiding away in there during our session.

Today, Eloise had one or two areas which needed attention from the clippers, followed by a good brush out of the rest of her coat.  A little fidgety on the table, but such a good girl – who always responds well to sweet talk and cuddles !

After the session, mum Deborah said :

“Thanks Sandra what would we do without you x”

Your coat looks mighty fine once again, Eloise ! See you again in a few weeks time.

sweet misty

This pretty young lady is 10 month old tabby Maine Coon Misty.

Misty has been with her mum and dad in Oldham since she left her litter, and was fortunate to move to her new home along with her littermate.  They pair of them enjoy life !  Chasing round and playing, like kittens do …

Although Misty is such a friendly little girl, and likes attention, she’s not that keen on mum combing her.  A couple of brush strokes, and she’s off …  So, one or two mats had developed underneath, around the armpits and rear quarters.

However, Misty really got into the swing of things during our session.  She was a little apprehensive at first, as we worked on the tight mats.  We think they had been irritating her as she’d begun to try to remove one of them herself.  However, once she realised that actually the clipper didn’t hurt, she relaxed and lay quietly and contently.  Eyes closed listening to the music we played for her.  Working around her rear end wasn’t Misty’s ideal pastime, but we did it in stages and as we went on, Misty was obliging by stretching out her back legs for the best possible positions !

After the session, mum Peggy said :

“My precious babies looking like little angels thanks to Sandra who was/is a kind and caring groomer.  Their first visit looking forward to next time.  Love from Misty, Meascha n their Mummy n Daddy xxxx”

Clever girl, Misty !  Such a nice first session.  Well done !

sweet ruby

Ruby is a 2 year old Himalayan (or Himalayan Persian) who lives in Altrincham, Cheshire.

We were asked to meet up with Ruby as she’d developed mats in certain areas – mainly underneath and around the flanks.  However, the rest of her coat was extremely thick and the best way forward all round was to give Ruby a fresh start with a clip.

Before the session, Ruby was extremely quiet and subdued.  We think the pelt underneath was restricting her movement, plus she had an enormous coat in general.  She wasn’t a happy chick.  See piccie on right of Ruby before the session.

Ruby was an extremely patient little girl as we worked through her coat and it was pleasing to see it come away.  Here’s a piccie of Ruby’s back, as her right side was clipped.  You can see the coat coming away – and then another picture of that hair on the floor, later.

Ruby is going to feel like a new woman !  Indeed, mum reported that Ruby has now starting playing again with her housemate – like youngsters should do !

Good stuff Ruby !  Well done chicky !

ragdoll rosie

At just 17 months old, Rosie the Ragdoll has now landed on her feet after a difficult start in life.  She now lives in Sandbach, Cheshire with quite a houseful of mates and a mum who loves her to bits.  She deserves it so  much.

Rosie is a very gentle, shy girl until she’s sure what’s going on.  However, we made friends very quickly and although Rosie was a little fidgety, she did settle for periods – which was long enough to get to work on a few mats underneath.

After the session – what did Rosie do ?  No – she didn’t scarper out of the room.  She went straight to her food, then had a good self groom to sort herself out.  Then just chilled out on the rug and watched whilst we cleared up.  See the piccie as proof !

A few days after the session, mum Laurie-an told us :

“So, you ask, how is my little basket of furry sunshine? Well, as I told you she would, for three days she spat and hissed each time I had the temerity to try to pick her up or if I patted my lap in invitation. Worse was if my finger hovered within a short mile of her feet. I did that once and was summarily bitten. No sir, she does not forgive lightly being prodded and pulled.  After four days she now will reluctantly admit, though in very round-about terms, that she feels more comfortable. I know this by the renewed agility and suppleness demonstrated when chasing my other cats; she can handle the bend between sofa and table deftly now, much to the others’ surprise. In short, instead of lumbering around the house, she is now a svelte, streamlined athlete after being separated from a half ton of loose hair, grass, dead mice and that earring I mislaid.  I know that, were she not a drama queen, she would thank you for your patience and kindness, and for tolerating her bad temper. But as she most definitely is, I hope you’ll accept my gratitude instead.”

Well done Rosie.  Glad to hear your update !

our Hercules champion

Our Hercules Champion was well ready for his maintenance session this time around.  Hercules Champion is now almost 16 years old – which is quite an age for a Maine Coon – but when he’s all brushed out he still looks so fine !

As the months and years go on, Hercules Champion is becoming a little bit grumpy in his old age on the grooming table, but he loves a cuddle and all the fuss you can give him.

Hercules Champion’s coat was thick and tufy in parts.  We combed and clipped where necessary ….. and afterwards, well ….. he was definitely very pleased with himself !

Well done Hercules Champion !

hanina, the darling little one

This pretty little girl in St Helens, Merseyside is Hanina – which aptly means ‘darling little one’ in Maltese.  Hanina is a Persian and is just 9 months old.  She is not too keen on being brushed underneath by mum and dad, hence a few matted areas had developed under there, which were beginning to creep up her sides.

Very talkative is little Hanina, and she did her best to dissuade us from getting on with the job in hand.  Not a naughty bone in her body … just very fidgety ones !

However, we gave Hanina a belly clip and took away the coat that couldn’t be saved.  The rest of the session was a good brush out.

We know that Hanina will feel much more comfy now her coat is knot free – and she was buzzing around after the session, snaffling up all the Dreamies that she was offered.

A few days after the session, we heard from Hanina herself :

“Hi Sandra, thank you so much for visiting me after Christmas.  I’m sorry that I made a bit of a fuss but I was quite attached to the mats in my belly & wasn’t convinced that you could make me look even more beautiful !   Now I’m much more comfortable & am even letting Mummy & daddy comb me everyday xx  Hanina aged 9 months”

Well done Hanina.  Such a good girl !