Alright, let’s get into this cat shaving thing. Had to deal with it myself not too long ago with my long-haired monster, Whiskers. He got some serious mats, like, felt patches I couldn’t even get a comb through. Poor guy was starting to look uncomfortable, tugging at them.
First thought, maybe I can do this myself? Save some cash. Watched a couple of videos online. Looked easy enough, right? Wrong. Got the clippers out, the cheap ones I had for myself. Whiskers was NOT having it. Squirming, hissing, tail doing that angry whip thing. Plus, I was terrified of nicking his skin. It’s super thin. Aborted mission pretty quick. Not worth hurting him or getting myself shredded.
Finding Someone Else to Do It
So, professional help it was. Started calling around. Look, I’m not made of money, so I wanted to know what I was getting into. Called maybe three or four different groomers in my area.
The price quotes were kinda surprising:
- One place, super fancy, quoted something like over a hundred bucks. Said it depended on how bad the mats were and the cat’s ‘temperament’.
- Another local spot was cheaper, maybe around sixty or seventy dollars.
- Even called my vet’s office. They sometimes do sedation grooming for difficult cats or severe mats, but that was definitely the priciest option, easily $150+, plus the vet visit fee probably.
It seemed to depend a lot on location, the cat’s condition, and whether they needed any special handling, like sedation (which I wanted to avoid).
The Actual Shave Day and The Bill
I went with the local place, the one that quoted around seventy. Seemed reasonable. Dropped Whiskers off in the morning. Felt kinda bad leaving him in that carrier, he looked so betrayed. The groomer lady was nice, though. Said she’d call when he was ready.
Got the call a few hours later. Went to pick him up. And wow. He looked… hilarious. Like a fuzzy lollipop. Big fluffy head, skinny little body, boots on his feet, and a pom-pom tail. They call it a ‘lion cut’. He seemed way less bothered by it than I expected, honestly. Maybe a bit confused, but not distressed.
Then came the bill. It ended up being $75 total. Pretty much what they estimated. That covered the shave, dealing with those awful mats safely, and they even clipped his nails.
Was It Worth It?
Yeah, it was. Seventy-five bucks isn’t nothing, but seeing him comfortable again, not pulling at his fur, it made a difference. Plus, trying to do it myself was clearly a disaster waiting to happen. Trying to save a few bucks could have ended with a vet bill for stitches, either for him or me.
So, if you’re wondering about the cost, based on my little adventure, expect anywhere from maybe $60 on the low end to well over $100, maybe even $150 or more if sedation is needed at a vet. Best bet is just to call a few places near you and ask straight up. And yeah, gonna be brushing Whiskers a LOT more often now. Don’t want to go through this again if I can help it.
