miss martha

This very beautiful Persian Chinchilla is 16 month old Martha.  Remember her ?  How could you forget that pretty face ?!

Martha lives in West Bradford, Lancashire with her housemates and family – and likes nothing better than playing out in the garden, where she gets covered in twigs and bracken and all sorts …

Hence our visit….  Martha’s coat easily gets tangled, and we worked through with the clippers removing some of her coat.  Mainly around the upper back and sides and her under carriage.

Very squirmy (we wouldn’t have expected anything else from Martha), but evidently less so as the sessions occur.  She obviously remembers previous get togethers and realises that it’s not that bad !

It was a very hot day and Martha LOVED the small tower fan that was blowing cool air in her face.  In fact, she lay with her arms wrapped around it, quite contently, for a good few minutes.

A week or so later, mum reported that brushing is going well so far.  Charlotte said :

“Thank you Sandra for visiting Martha. We have recently struggled with Martha’s coat as she goes outside lots and is long haired. Sandra always manages to make our princess look amazing. Sandra you have the patience of a saint and would highly recommend your services to anyone thank you again x”

Great, thanks Charlotte !  Well done miss Martha !  Keep it up !

gorgeous duch

17 years old !!  Duch is a Persian Cross and as such her coat is extremely thick and full.  She lives in Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire with her family and is extremely well loved !

Duch’s coat was matted and a large portion needed to be removed to give her and mum a new start.  We decided to leave her with what was possible, rather than a full clip. (On the piccie above there is a pile of brushed away/clipped away hair, just behind Duch – she doesn’t have a hump !)

Duch did really well during her session and wasn’t in the least afraid of the clippers.  After the session, mum remarked that Duch had been much less fidgety and behaved much better than expected.

Mum Gill later said :

“Duch is a 17 year old Persian cross with a long black & white coat.  She had recently developed some very tight mats as her ability to groom herself had becoming more difficult.  I was getting very anxious as the situation seemed to be getting worse.  Duch is a very nervous cat and shakes and quivers the minute she is put in her basket.  So I really didn’t want to put her through anything that would exacerbate the situation.

In walked Sandra- the life saver!  She set up her grooming table, complete with gentle fan and soothing cat music and clippers that hardly made a sound and the next time I looked Duch was putty in her hands!!  Sandra has such a calming gentle way of talking to the cats and immediately puts them at ease.  It was incredible that Duch was so well behaved for two whole hours of steady grooming with the odd short rest in-between, if required.  Sandra gave her a ‘comfort towel’ to lie on and cuddle and this took her mind off what was happening.

It was amazing and I don’t know why I worried!

If, like me, you feel very anxious of the whole ‘grooming thing’, then look no further than this excellent lady!  Sandra of EssentiallyPurrfect is absolutely amazing and I would recommend her, without hesitation.

Grateful thanks Sandra from Gill and Duch – who, by the way, has a new lease of life.  She has starting grooming herself again and looks so much happier.”

Fantastic !  Thanks so much for the feedback Gill and what a good girl, Duch – Well done ! Sooo pleased you’re feeling comfy with your new bod !

the lovely eric

Come and meet the lovely Eric, a long haired chap of 13 years who lives with his housemates and mum in Preston, Lancashire.

We were called in to help Eric with his coat as he’d developed some matted and clumpy areas, mainly around his back end and underneath.  Eric’s not that keen on being brushed, which makes it difficult for mum, and underneath is really a no-go zone.

We took some areas of Eric’s coat away with the clippers, but his coat is so thick, long and dark it was barely noticeable.  We then began to brush out the rest of his coat to rid him of dead hair that was still sat there from the winter months.  However, this was Eric’s first professional grooming session and it’s fair to say that he really wasn’t keen on the idea.  He told us as much in no uncertain terms.

We decided to split the session in two, and resumed a few days later.  At the second session, Eric was a different chap.

He had obviously reflected on the earlier session and decided that it hadn’t been that bad after all.  Additionally, we think that because he had been ridded of tight mats from his coat during the first session, he was feeling much more comfortable, calm and collected.

He lay patiently on the grooming table, of his own accord, whilst we brushed out – beginning with his belly !  Not a problem for Eric today !  He even cocked his head around to watch what was going on !

A couple of weeks following the session, mum Sheila reported that Eric seemed more content.

Well done Eric, you handsome boy !  …. Looking forward to seeing you again soon for your next brush out.

health and wellbeing

Although diet plays a major role in keeping your cat’s skin and coat healthy, the benefits of regular grooming cannot be underestimated.  Grooming really is an important part of boosting health and wellbeing.

As the seasons change, most cats develop a thicker coat/shed their coat.  However, cats lose dead hair all year around and therefore benefit from regular brushing.  The brushing stimulates the skin and removes dead cells, as well as removing loose hair – which in turn reduces the likelihood of tangles and mats developing.  Matted hair traps heat and can home fleas and other parasites.  It can be painful as it becomes tighter to the skin and can increase irritation and infection.

Different cat breeds have differing grooming needs and the length and density of their coat determines how often a cat should be combed.  Long haired cats like Persians, or cats with curly/silky coats should be brushed through daily – concentrating on those thicker areas, and those that most easily tangle (tummy, armpits, flanks, trousers).  It can be less frequent for cats with short hair, however some breeds (like the British Short Hair) have a thick, dense, plush coat which will mat if not brushed through regularly.

Regular brushing also reduces the amount of hair your cat swallows whilst grooming him/herself, thus reducing the chance of hairballs developing.  Although usually vomited up, in the extreme hairballs can cause a blockage in the intestine.

Ask yourself :

• Is it some time since your cat last experienced a thorough grooming session ?
• Does your cat suffer from any form of tangles/knots or mats in his/her coat ?
• Has his/her mood changed ?  If Yes :
  • Has he/she become a little grumpy ?
  • Does he/she shrink away from being petted, or enjoying your attention ?

If you have answered Yes to any of the above, it may well be that your cat is experiencing itchiness or discomfort, due to his/her thick or matted coat.  Or, he/she may feel overwhelmed with the prospect of trying to keep on top of it him/herself.

We have spoken to many cat owners who have can relate to the above points.  Indeed, this is often when our services at EssentiallyPurrfect are called upon.  What is really satisfying for us is the feedback we receive from our customers following the grooming session, in relation to how their cat’s general happiness and behaviour has changed for the better.

“Nick and I have both noticed that Penny is a much happier cat.  She loves being stroked now, whereas she could only handle a little bit of petting before you visited.  She just can’t seem to get enough of our attention now !  So thank you so much.”           Katy and Nick.  Lowton, Warrington

“Radek is like a different cat !!!!  Not just because he looks gorgeous, but he seems so much happier.”                                                                                                         Lorraine.  Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside

“It [the groom] certainly seems to have given 12 year old Bindy a new lease of life and her coat is so silky and smooth.”                                                                             Lesley.  Bury, Greater Manchester

“She [Bonny, 16 years old] is so much better and is having more quality of life ….. she is even grooming her face and head.”                                                                        Wendy.  Walton-le-Dale, Preston, Lancs

“Mo is full of himself and seems to have a new lease of life after his clip.  He obviously feels so much better.”                                                                                                    Kerry.  Clitheroe, Lancs

“Marie [17 years old] has been an absolute delight since her new “haircut” and pamper session with you. She’s strolling around like a little princess.”                                                              Tracey. Preston, Lancs

“…managed to get all her [Vera’s] tangles out and she’s now feeling a lot happier and more relaxed.”                                                                                                                Jill.  Manchester 

As with most things, prevention is better than cure.  By brushing out your cat regularly, we can prevent crisis point and make for a happier cat, a happier you .. and in turn a happier us !

A regular appointment schedule will be cheaper for you as we will not be managing a difficult coat.  It also attracts a 10% discount on the groom itself.

Why not check in with us today to discuss your cat’s needs, and arrange an appointment ?   See how handsome Billy, above, looks …. His mum called us, and we would love to hear from you too !

cheeky herbie

Herbie is the most soft, loving, gentle 3 year old Tabby Red Maine Coon you could meet.  He lives in Warrington with his family and is a real mummy’s boy.

On the grooming table, however, we do see a different slant to his personality.  It’s fair to say that Herbie isn’t keen on the idea, and would rather be doing something else – somewhere else – with someone else … !!

We worked through Herbie’s coat, which had developed a few matted areas which needed attention.  We then had a good brush out.  Not an easy task with such a big boy, who had other ideas !

However, we’re sure that Herbie will reap the benefits of his sleeker, lighter coat – and deep down we think he knows just what the sessions are all about.   He’s not daft !

Well done Herbie … See you again in a few weeks time.

lovely konnie

Do you remember this chilled out chick ?  This is 3 year old Maine Coon Konnie who lives in Warrington, Cheshire.

Konnie is quite a nervous girl by nature, but once she’s laid on the grooming table she becomes so chilled.  We do have the occasional growl – this has always been the case – but this is definitely reducing as each session occurs.  Plus – Konnie can growl, lay contently with eyes closed, tail still, and enjoy a tickle under the chin – all at the same time.  Clever ?!

It about 3 months since we last met up and mum has been able to keep on top of Konnie’s coat with regular brushing.  Just a couple of small matted areas needed to be clipped away, followed by a good brush out.

If you didn’t catch it last time, why not pop over to our facebook page where you can watch a short video clip of Konnie chilling on the grooming table.

Looking forward to next time already, Konnie !  Well done !!

anyone you know … ?!

Haha … Does this sound like anyone you know ?

Do you do this ?!

We do !

(… and usually in a very silly voice !)

fidgety henry !

Meet Henry the Fidget who lives with his mum in Great Harwood, Lancashire.

Henry is 16 years old now, but doesn’t look it. He doesn’t act it either – especially during his mad half hour !

We called in to see Henry as he had developed some matted areas, particularly around his backend and on his tummy. He knew we were coming as he sent us a message on facebook a couple of hours prior to our appointment, with this piccie on the right.

Henry is the most sweet and gentle boy you could meet.  However, he is probably one of the most fidgety, too. He managed to sit still on all 4s for short bursts, but had a real aversion to lying on his side so we did as much of the work as possible from the top. He wasn’t nervous in the least – just extremely fidgety ! We tried different tacks with him until we found that being brushed around his head with his favourite brush helped occupy him, whilst we clipped underneath. Phew .. !  We took away a large portion around the back and underneath, which will enable a clean start for him.

After the session, Henry was in and out of the kitchen where we’d been working. Too nosy to keep away for long.

Following the session, mum Debbie said :

“Can I just say a huge thankyou to Sandra for “eventually” sorting Henry’s knotty coat out.  Thankyou for being amazingly patient with him during his stubborn times and sorry for his bad language lol.  I think now he has realised what it was all about, he’s not left me alone … led on my chest as im trying to type this 🙂  and he seems so much happier in himself and is grooming himself more .  Oh Henry has just said “Thank you Sandra, I feel much more comfortable now the knots have gone and sorry for being a pain lol xx”

Well done Henry … You were a good boy. A very fidgety good boy !

little lou lou

This 18 year old lady is Lou Lou and she lives in Blackley, Manchester with her housemates and family. Apart from having gone virtually deaf, and some arthritis which hinders mobility, Lou Lou’s faring pretty well for her age ….

Lou Lou is a most gentle and sweet girl and we met up with her as she needed some help with her coat which had become extremely matted.  We decided to take it all away as it would have been too patchy otherwise, working around the mats.  The piccie on the right of Lou Lou is just before the session began.

We began working through her coat with the clippers, which didn’t phase Lou Lou one bit.  The matting was tight and close to the skin throughout, so it took some patience – particularly as it was a very hot day.  We were almost there, but decided to break and resume at a later date.  This was because we felt Lou Lou wasn’t in the right frame of mind to continue – extremely fidgety, and 18 years old ! – and we’d have a fresh start to complete underneath.

Well, when we met up again a few days later reports were that Lou Lou had definitely been given a new lease of life !  She’d been up and down, grooming herself, mooching in the garden – and had even been stopped from climbing a tree out front ! omg ! ….

We had a very short time with her on the table to complete her groom and she was evidently delighted afterwards. She had a quick wash, then settled on the sofa for a chill (see piccie on left) – then went zooming off upstairs as though her arthritis was a thing of the past !

It is always really pleasing to see an immediate result like this. Lou Lou must been feeling so much more comfy now all the tight mats have been removed, and she has a fresh start to grow a new coat.

Well done Lou Lou …. Good girl !!

the gorgeous jasmine

Here’s Jasmine. How gorgeous is she ?!

At 6 years old, Jasmine lives with her family in Bolton, Greater Manchester. She has the most thick, fluffy coat you can imagine and we think she may have some Persian Chinchilla in her. She certainly has the eyeliner trait of a Chinchilla !

Some mats had developed, particularly around Jasmine’s neck where her collar had been, and a few ad-hoc knots elsewhere. We began clipping away, and Jasmine wasn’t at all phased by the noise or sensation – she was just extremely wriggly and determined it wasn’t going to happen. However, we were determine it was … and it did.

An hour or so later, Jasmine was clear of her knots and had lost a good amount of dead hair in her brush out. No doubt she’s feeling a lot happier with her coat now.

Good girl Jasmine … Well done chick !