What Is the Cost of Cat Grooming? 2024 Price Guide
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While cats can groom themselves, they can still benefit from professional grooming services, especially as they age and self-grooming becomes more challenging for them. Scheduling routine grooming with a professional grooming service can ensure that your cat maintains a healthy coat and prevent skin and coat issues.
Prices will vary depending on where you live, and costs typically rise in cities with higher living costs. Generally, a cat grooming session can cost anywhere between $60-$150. Here’s an update on what you can expect when choosing a professional cat grooming service.
The Importance of Cat Grooming
Cats are known to self-groom, but all kinds of cats can still use a helping hand with grooming. Cats that are older, overweight, or have joint issues may not be able to groom themselves fully, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Long-haired cats often benefit from getting haircuts and deep cleaning and moisturizing baths.
Failure to maintain healthy grooming habits can lead to skin infections and increased hairballs. When left untreated, these issues can trigger or exacerbate other health issues, like upset stomach1, skin lacerations, and hiding fleas and ticks2.
You can expect professional cat groomers to know how to handle your cat safely, remove stubborn mats and tangles, and examine your cat’s coat for any health concerns. They’ll also safely trim your cat’s coat to prevent skin injuries, sunburn, and the inability to regulate body temperature3.
How Much Does Cat Grooming Cost?
A full grooming package can cost anywhere between $60-$150. Cat grooming costs usually depend on your location, and you may experience slightly more expensive costs if you have a long-haired cat.
Most cat grooming services will offer nail trims and nail cap applications, baths, and a full groom package. The prices of baths will vary depending on their intensity. Your cat can receive a basic bath or a deluxe package that includes deep conditioning and using premium cat shampoo and conditioner. Many cat groomers also offer medicated baths, which are typically slightly more expensive than regular baths.
When it comes to nail cap applications, make sure to verify with cat groomers if this service includes nail caps. Some cat groomers require owners to supply their own nail caps.
Standard Cat Grooming Services by Region
| New York City, NY | Chicago, IL | Houston, TX | Los Angeles, CA | |
| Ear Cleaning | $20 – $30 | $5 – $10 | $5 – $10 | $10 – $15 |
| Nail Trim | $20 – $30 | $15 – $25 | $10 – $15 | $10 – $20 |
| Nail Caps | $10 – $25 | $15 – $25 | $20 – $30 | $30 – $45 |
| Bath | $50 – $60 | $45 – $50 | $35 – $60 | $55 – $80 |
| Full Groom | $80 – $150 | $70 – $100 | $85 – $100 | $60 – $100 |
Additional Costs to Anticipate
Good cat groomers will also check your cat’s skin and coat condition while grooming your cat. They may comb through your cat’s hair and find other health issues, like fleas or inflamed, itchy skin.
So, you may end up having to pay for a follow-up physical exam with your veterinarian.
How Often Should I Groom My Cat?
If you have a consistent at-home grooming routine, scheduling a professional cat grooming appointment every 6-8 weeks will suffice. However, some cats that have more extensive grooming needs may benefit from having appointments scheduled every 4 weeks. If your cat is absolutely resistant to hand brushing and keeps getting its coat tangled, you’ll most likely need to schedule cat grooming appointments about once a month.
Cats that require professional nail trimming usually need their nails examined every 2-3 weeks. Nail caps usually need to be replaced every 4-6 weeks. Make sure to save on costs and time by coordinating your nail trimming and nail cap replacement appointments so that they can be done together as often as possible.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Cat Grooming?
Pet insurance doesn’t typically cover cat grooming. The main purpose of pet insurance is to help pay for unexpected, expensive veterinary care costs. So, you’ll commonly find items such as surgeries, diagnostic tests, and medication covered under pet insurance plans. However, you can still find some companies willing to help pay for grooming under wellness plans. These types of plans cover routine and preventative costs.
Just keep in mind that pet insurance is mainly designed to make veterinary costs more manageable for pet owners. So, you won’t experience savings if you purchase a pet insurance plan just for cat grooming and routine care costs. If you’re looking to save on cat grooming costs, you’ll have better luck with discounts and special promotions that cat groomers will offer throughout the year.
What to Do for Your Cat In Between Grooming Appointments
The first thing you want to do is establish a consistent hand-brushing routine with your cat. Hand-brushing your cat not only detangles your cat’s coat but also reduces the occurrence of hairballs and shedding around the house. If your cat is a heavy shedder, you may benefit from investing in a deshedding tool to pick up more dead and loose hair from the coat.
You can also try to give your cat a bath in the middle of your last appointment and your next appointment. However, most cats don’t require frequent baths, so this may not be necessary for your cat unless it gets its coat dirty.
If your cat doesn’t mind, you can also trim your cat’s nails on your own. Some cats may prefer a nail file, so if you don’t experience any luck with using nail clippers, try using a nail file specifically designed for pets. Some cats may be more tolerant of the feeling of their nails getting filed.
Never force your cat into a grooming routine and do your best to prevent your cat from feeling extreme discomfort and distress. It’s better to protect your safety and your cat’s safety and well-being and schedule more frequent cat grooming appointments and let professional groomers work with your cat. Sometimes, cats become more tolerant of at-home grooming as they get used to grooming from professionals.
Summary
The cost of a full cat grooming appointment can cost anywhere between $60-$150 depending on where you live. The most expensive prices are usually in larger cities, and long-haired cats may be slightly more expensive to groom than short-haired cats.
Grooming doesn’t just make your cat look clean and polished. Professional cat grooming benefits its overall health and well-being and can aid in preventing skin infections and other health issues. So, make sure your cat has a healthy grooming routine set in place, and let it get pampered at a pet spa every once in a while.
Featured Image Credit: BY-_-BY, Shutterstock
