Fancy Felines Salon
Policies, Procedures and Our Promises
Our promise to you is to always put the health and well-being of your cat first. We are committed to keep them as safe and happy as possible while performing the services they need. We ask that you make a commitment to us as well by adhering to the following policies and procedures.
Cat Carriers
We require each cat to be in their own, individual and appropriate carrier.
Nervous, Scared or Aggressive Cats
No matter how your cat behaves at home or has behaved in the past for other groomers, we welcome every cat. Yes, we will groom your matted, senior, aggressive cat. As long as it is safe for us and the cat, we will do our best to make your cat's grooming experience as comfortable as possible.
If you have occasionally given your cat a calming medication like Gabapentin, or if you give them gabapentin often and know they will be an issue for us, we leave the decision to medicate or not to you. After the first visit we will better be able to make recommendations for the next visit.
We will do everything we can to complete the groom as requested, however if at any point we feel the health or safety of our staff or your cat is at risk we will stop services. We will charge you for what has been completed up to that point. We will the recommend a course of action for future grooms (if we know your cat is generally good and they're just having an off day we may ask you to come back the following week, if they're overly stressed or aggressive we may recommend you discuss some calming medication with your vet, etc).
Panting is a sign of extreme stress and if a cat is panting for more than 30-60 seconds we will immediately stop services and send the cat home. It can also be a sign of underlying health issues. Either way it means that continuing the groom is too risky for the cat.
Aggressive or senior cats may be subject to a special handling fee.
Matted Cats
We will shave down a severely matted cat only once. It is painful and stressful for the cat, however we know that it can be difficult to find a cat groomer or to understand how bad the matting is before it is too late.
Once you have found us and are a client though, we ask that you call us before the matting gets to that point again. Our clients are asked to stay on regular maintenance grooming schedules and we will not repeatedly shave down matted cats. If your goal is to have your cat shaved once a year when it is matted, we are not the groomer for you. We believe that is inhumane and needlessly uncomfortable and painful for the cat.
If you bring your cat to us more than once in that condition we will recommend you visit a vet groomer instead so your cat can be sedated to make the process easier on them.
Matting makes small nicks and cuts more likely and is due to the matting pulling in the skin. Fancy Felines will not be held responsible for any nicks and cuts that happen while shaving matted cats. Matting also cause other health issues such as bruised skin. This is why we require our clients to stay on a maintenance plan to prevent matting.
Extra fees apply to shaving matted cats.
** If your cat is getting matted but you cannot afford to get them groomed due to a temporary hardship, call us, we will help.
No-Shows or Cancelled Appointments
We have limited appointments and keep a busy schedule, we ask that you cancel with at least 48 hours notice.
No-shows or last minute cancellations will be subject to missed appointment fees and/or deposits for future appointments.
All deposits are nonrefundable should you reschedule or cancel with less than 48 hours notice or no-show. If you need to reschedule and give us more than 48 hours notice the deposit will be transferred to your next appointment. Deposits are paid via invoice and you do not need to come in to the salon to pay them.
If you repeatedly miss appointments or last minute cancel we may not be able to continue to book appointments for you.
No shows or late cancel fees-
Timeliness
In order for our day to run as smoothly as possible we ask that you arrive on time for your appointment. If you drop off early or late this affects other appointments throughout the day, not to mention your cat may have to be with us longer than absolutely necessary which no cat loves. In our salon on-time means no more than 10-15 minutes early, and no more than 10 minutes late (preferably 0 minutes late). Appointments that are more than 15 minutes late will need to be rescheduled and may be subject to paying a missed appointment fee. We are human too, we understand things happen, traffic, etc, that may cause you to be late. Please text/call us as soon as you know you will not be arriving on time so we can plan accordingly.
Vaccines and your Vet
We are not veterinarians, as such we do not require proof of vaccines, however we do require that your cat has been to a vet within the past 12 months and that they are current on all vaccines that your vet recommends.
If your cat is not current on their rabies vaccines and bites a member of our staff they may be required to quarantine for up to 14 days by the county. This is state law and out of our control.
Panting Cats
Panting without stopping can be a sign of serious health issues in cats. While rare, if your cat is panting it may be just signaling stress, but the risk that it could be more is too great to ignore for us. If your cat begins panting at any point and does not stop we will discontinue the groom and ask you to pick them up asap. Please understand, the only reason for this is the health, safety and well-being of your cat is always our number one concern. If you have noticed panting in your cat you can find out more information in this article... PetMD Cat Panting
If we discontinue your cat's groom due to panting we will typically ask you to visit your vet to make sure there are no underlying health issues that have developed. Once the vet gives the all clear we may recommend you also ask your vet for something like gabapentin to calm your cat for there visit so they aren't overly stressed.
Senior Cats
Senior cat's groomability will be evaluated on a case by case basis. As cats get older, much like people, their skin gets thinner and more delicate. When senior cats are matted it makes it extremely risky to shave them as such we prefer our senior kitties to stay on bath schedules to prevent matting as it is more safe and comfortable for them.
We help senior cats whenever we feel it is safe to do so, but may discontinue services or ask that we split the groom into 2 or 3 visits for the comfort and safety of your cat.
Fleas
Fleas happen, it's a hard battle to face here in Florida, however because it puts our other clients at risk we cannot have cats in the salon with active flea infestations. If you unknowingly bring you cat in with fleas we will charge a $5-20 cleaning and sanitization fee to keep our salon flea free.
Pricing and Payments
Your cat's needs may vary from visit to visit. Their coat condition, skin condition, and temperament can change from visit to visit. As such, the cost of your groom may vary visit to visit. If something is going to result in an upcharge of $20 or more compared to your normal price, we will notify you before continuing with the groom. If you are working with a specific budget please let us know.
We accept all major credit/debit cards. We also accept (and prefer) cash. Credit processing fees add up for us so any time it's convenient for you to use cash we really appreciate it. Sorry but we do not accept checks. Thank you!
We require each cat to be in their own, individual and appropriate carrier.
- Carriers that are too small can cause a cat to become unnecessarily aggressive and uncomfortable. Larger cats need a larger carrier. If you can't carry it they make ones on wheels and you can also ask us to help carry it to/from your car.
- Each cat needs their own carrier. When cats arrive in a shared carrier they may not recognize each other's appearance and/or smell after their groom and can become aggressive. It is unsafe to put multiple cats in one carrier, no matter how large it is.
- Anything other than a real cat carrier may not contain the cat in a safe and effective way. Duffel bags, purses, leashes/harnesses are not safe ways to bring your cat in. It is unsafe to carry your cat through our parking lot if it is not in a proper carrier. Our clients understand this risk and respect our stance to only accept cats in proper carriers.
- When your cat is done with their groom, they are so happy to go back into their comfy carrier that smells like them and they associate with going home. Adding a towel, sweater, blanket or shirt will help them relax and decompress after their groom.
Nervous, Scared or Aggressive Cats
No matter how your cat behaves at home or has behaved in the past for other groomers, we welcome every cat. Yes, we will groom your matted, senior, aggressive cat. As long as it is safe for us and the cat, we will do our best to make your cat's grooming experience as comfortable as possible.
If you have occasionally given your cat a calming medication like Gabapentin, or if you give them gabapentin often and know they will be an issue for us, we leave the decision to medicate or not to you. After the first visit we will better be able to make recommendations for the next visit.
We will do everything we can to complete the groom as requested, however if at any point we feel the health or safety of our staff or your cat is at risk we will stop services. We will charge you for what has been completed up to that point. We will the recommend a course of action for future grooms (if we know your cat is generally good and they're just having an off day we may ask you to come back the following week, if they're overly stressed or aggressive we may recommend you discuss some calming medication with your vet, etc).
Panting is a sign of extreme stress and if a cat is panting for more than 30-60 seconds we will immediately stop services and send the cat home. It can also be a sign of underlying health issues. Either way it means that continuing the groom is too risky for the cat.
Aggressive or senior cats may be subject to a special handling fee.
Matted Cats
We will shave down a severely matted cat only once. It is painful and stressful for the cat, however we know that it can be difficult to find a cat groomer or to understand how bad the matting is before it is too late.
Once you have found us and are a client though, we ask that you call us before the matting gets to that point again. Our clients are asked to stay on regular maintenance grooming schedules and we will not repeatedly shave down matted cats. If your goal is to have your cat shaved once a year when it is matted, we are not the groomer for you. We believe that is inhumane and needlessly uncomfortable and painful for the cat.
If you bring your cat to us more than once in that condition we will recommend you visit a vet groomer instead so your cat can be sedated to make the process easier on them.
Matting makes small nicks and cuts more likely and is due to the matting pulling in the skin. Fancy Felines will not be held responsible for any nicks and cuts that happen while shaving matted cats. Matting also cause other health issues such as bruised skin. This is why we require our clients to stay on a maintenance plan to prevent matting.
Extra fees apply to shaving matted cats.
** If your cat is getting matted but you cannot afford to get them groomed due to a temporary hardship, call us, we will help.
No-Shows or Cancelled Appointments
We have limited appointments and keep a busy schedule, we ask that you cancel with at least 48 hours notice.
No-shows or last minute cancellations will be subject to missed appointment fees and/or deposits for future appointments.
All deposits are nonrefundable should you reschedule or cancel with less than 48 hours notice or no-show. If you need to reschedule and give us more than 48 hours notice the deposit will be transferred to your next appointment. Deposits are paid via invoice and you do not need to come in to the salon to pay them.
If you repeatedly miss appointments or last minute cancel we may not be able to continue to book appointments for you.
No shows or late cancel fees-
- First offense- $35 fee
- Second offense- 100% cost of groom
- Third offense- will need to prepay for all grooms going forward, this will be non-refundable.
Timeliness
In order for our day to run as smoothly as possible we ask that you arrive on time for your appointment. If you drop off early or late this affects other appointments throughout the day, not to mention your cat may have to be with us longer than absolutely necessary which no cat loves. In our salon on-time means no more than 10-15 minutes early, and no more than 10 minutes late (preferably 0 minutes late). Appointments that are more than 15 minutes late will need to be rescheduled and may be subject to paying a missed appointment fee. We are human too, we understand things happen, traffic, etc, that may cause you to be late. Please text/call us as soon as you know you will not be arriving on time so we can plan accordingly.
Vaccines and your Vet
We are not veterinarians, as such we do not require proof of vaccines, however we do require that your cat has been to a vet within the past 12 months and that they are current on all vaccines that your vet recommends.
If your cat is not current on their rabies vaccines and bites a member of our staff they may be required to quarantine for up to 14 days by the county. This is state law and out of our control.
Panting Cats
Panting without stopping can be a sign of serious health issues in cats. While rare, if your cat is panting it may be just signaling stress, but the risk that it could be more is too great to ignore for us. If your cat begins panting at any point and does not stop we will discontinue the groom and ask you to pick them up asap. Please understand, the only reason for this is the health, safety and well-being of your cat is always our number one concern. If you have noticed panting in your cat you can find out more information in this article... PetMD Cat Panting
If we discontinue your cat's groom due to panting we will typically ask you to visit your vet to make sure there are no underlying health issues that have developed. Once the vet gives the all clear we may recommend you also ask your vet for something like gabapentin to calm your cat for there visit so they aren't overly stressed.
Senior Cats
Senior cat's groomability will be evaluated on a case by case basis. As cats get older, much like people, their skin gets thinner and more delicate. When senior cats are matted it makes it extremely risky to shave them as such we prefer our senior kitties to stay on bath schedules to prevent matting as it is more safe and comfortable for them.
We help senior cats whenever we feel it is safe to do so, but may discontinue services or ask that we split the groom into 2 or 3 visits for the comfort and safety of your cat.
Fleas
Fleas happen, it's a hard battle to face here in Florida, however because it puts our other clients at risk we cannot have cats in the salon with active flea infestations. If you unknowingly bring you cat in with fleas we will charge a $5-20 cleaning and sanitization fee to keep our salon flea free.
Pricing and Payments
Your cat's needs may vary from visit to visit. Their coat condition, skin condition, and temperament can change from visit to visit. As such, the cost of your groom may vary visit to visit. If something is going to result in an upcharge of $20 or more compared to your normal price, we will notify you before continuing with the groom. If you are working with a specific budget please let us know.
We accept all major credit/debit cards. We also accept (and prefer) cash. Credit processing fees add up for us so any time it's convenient for you to use cash we really appreciate it. Sorry but we do not accept checks. Thank you!
