Words cannot describe how disappointed I was with my experience at Warm Heart & Wet Noses.
Unable to see my usual groomer, I made an appointment for my cat to get a lion cut at Warm Hearts & Wet Noses. When I scheduled my cat I was very forthcoming about how difficult my cat is to groom and her needs as she does not handle it very well at all. I was told it would not be an issue as the lady who grooms the cats is very good and could also perform the lion cut I was requesting. This is not her first lion cut and she has been groomed many times before. I know what to expect from my cat, hence all warnings, and usually the groomer.
The day of the appointment I explained to the groomer, again, that my cat is very feisty and usually requires a ball mussel and to have her feet taped (with painters tape to prevent scratching) to keep her manageable. The groomer brushed this information off and said she would see how it goes.
She pulled my cat out of the carrier; put her on the grooming table and immediately starting shaving her back. My cat was starting to stress after her back was cleared and that's when the first attack happened. She swatted at the groomer, scratching her hand and drawing blood. This is where I should mention that the groomer did not clip her claws prior to handling and shaving her. She kept moving my cat around causing her to get more upset, which prompted more attacks towards the groomer. The groomer kept brushing off the fact that she was not able to handle and control my cat efficiently. She started to handle my cat more firmly and roughly. A couple times I could hear my cat choking from her holding her neck so tightly. She insisted that my cat was okay and she was not hurting her but I could tell she was causing my cat pain and great discomfort. At this point, the groomer thought it was time for a mussel and something to cover my cat's eyes. She failed to put the mussel on correctly, leaving the lower part that goes around the chin sitting tightly in her mouth causing her lower jaw to hang out. When I asked if this was supposed to be like this she roughly pushed my cats head around until her lower jaw was in the mussel.
At this point the groomer was dripping with blood from the scratches my cat had made. She was turning my cat around to get to her belly and I noticed that one of her nipples had been cut. I also noticed a blood spot on her shoulder. "Oh, don't worry, that's not her blood. It's my blood. She's okay!" is what she said when she saw the cuts she had caused my cat.
After seeing the blooding marks and what a horrible job she has done, I ended the appointment. "Oh, I'm almost done, I'm almost done! I still need to cut her nails." I was angry, upset and concerned for the well being and appearance of my cat. I told her my cat was done and I was done and grabbed my cat, put her in her carry. I didn't know what a mess this "professional" groomer has made until I got her home. Her mane is gone, she has tuffs of hair where it should be shaved, her booties are well... look at the photos. This is NOT a lion cut. This was NOT a good experience at all. Not only did my cat suffer physical harm but is displaying signs of anxiety as well.
In the end, I walked away $70 in the hole with an injured and extremely stressed out cat, my cats AND the groomer blood on me and my cat (at no time did she ever offer me a cloth or sink to clean up either!) and the world's worst example of a lion cut.
After speaking with the owner, who happens to be the groomer who performed the above services and wanted to argue that this was acceptable, I will be getting a full refund. read more
