Cats In The City

Such a gentleman- Willie

Our new friend Hijinx ...king of the catio

Ingrown cat claws are not “just long nails.”

They’re a progressive paw pad injury pathway that can quietly move from overgrowth → pressure → puncture → swelling → infection and mobility changes.

Many cats don’t show obvious signs until they’ve already adapted to discomfort:
• limping
• avoiding jumping
• licking paws
• hiding
• reduced grooming
• irritability during touch

We regularly see claws curled fully into paw pads, sometimes with crusting, discharge, inflammation, or embedded debris trapped beneath the nail.

Early intervention matters.

Routine nail care is often one of the simplest ways to prevent pain escalation, especially in:
• senior cats
• arthritic cats
• cats with mobility decline
• long-haired cats
• cats wearing Soft Paws
• medically sensitive cats

This graphic is part of our Ingrown Cat Claws Hub, built to help guardians recognize risk patterns earlier and understand when routine claw care becomes urgent care support.

Better care. Better outcomes.

Kitty is excited for catio time!

There's absolutely no one as charming as Malcom in the pursuit of a little treat.

MOST PEOPLE THINK THIS IS “DIRT.”

It isn’t.

These black specks are impacted follicular plugs removed from a cat’s chin during grooming care.

Feline chin acne is one of the most overlooked conditions we see. What guardians often assume is:
• food debris
• poor cleaning
• “just discoloration”

…is frequently a buildup of oil, keratin, bacteria, and compacted follicular material trapped inside the skin.

Over time, it can become:
• inflamed
• painful
• infected
• swollen
• resistant to touch

Some cats stop grooming the area entirely because the chin itself becomes uncomfortable.

At Cats in the City, we approach these cases gently and systematically:
• warm cleansing
• softening debris
• manual follicular clearing when tolerated
• coat sanitation
• moisture reduction
• trauma-informed handling throughout care

Because sometimes what looks “minor” is actually a cat carrying chronic physical irritation every single day.

And often, the first sign of relief is simple:
the cat finally allowing its chin to rest comfortably again.

Cats in the City | TANDEM Cat®
Trauma-informed feline grooming and clinical coat care.

From the Cats in the City team, we would like to take a moment to express our gratitude to all service members and veterans on this Memorial Day. We recognize the immense sacrifices you've made, the courage you've shown, and the freedom you've protected. We wish you a day of reflection, remembrance, and celebration, as we honor the memories of those who are no longer with us.

It's Senior Sunday with old man Oleo, savoring the weekend's sunshine ahead of tomorrow's rainy weather. 🌻

This is not a second cat.

This is a full-body casing pelt removed from a living cat in a single piece.

The only section that separated was the neck collar because it could not safely pass over the head intact. That thick ring of compacted coat had been wrapped beneath the chin, around the neck, and behind the ears like a heavy fabric scarf.

The rest of the body remained fully encased.

The cat weighed 6 pounds.

The pelt weighed over 1 pound.

Imagine carrying nearly 20% of your body weight in trapped coat pressed against your skin every hour of every day.

This is why severe matting is not cosmetic.

This is not “just shedding.”

This is physical restriction.
Heat retention.
Tension.
Entrapment.

And this is also why humane pelt removal can completely change how a cat moves, rests, stretches, and experiences their body afterward.

No sedation.
No force.
Just careful, trauma-informed removal performed slowly and safely.

Sometimes the goal is not grooming.

Sometimes the goal is liberation.

Most people think this is “just shedding.”

It’s not.

This coat was trapped against the body.

Over time, some cats slowly stop grooming, stretching, jumping, or resting comfortably long before severe matting becomes visible. What looks like “extra fluff” can actually become a dense layer of impacted undercoat pressing against the skin day after day.

As the trapped coat released, this cat visibly softened into the table in real time.

No sedation.
No force.
No panic.

Just careful manual unthreading, patient handling, and support.

Sometimes the goal of grooming isn’t aesthetics.

Sometimes the goal is relief.