Three Ways We Care.
One Goal: Their Comfort.
At Cats in the City, grooming is not a cosmetic service. It is a form of regulated, body-aware care designed to support comfort, skin health, and nervous system stability.
Every cat’s coat behaves differently. Some cats need gentle manual release. Others benefit from water-mediated softening or controlled airflow to safely remove impacted undercoat and dander. Our grooming approach adapts to the cat in front of us.
Coat Care Is Body Care
The TANDEM Cat® Friction Modalities were developed to reduce discomfort while improving coat release, skin condition, and overall grooming tolerance.
Trapped undercoat, dander accumulation, oil buildup, friction restriction, and coat compaction can create discomfort long before severe matting appears. Our job is to read the coat in relation to the whole cat: body position, tolerance, skin condition, sensory load, mobility, and stress response.
Three Techniques. One Comfort-First Goal.
DryFriction™
DryFriction™ uses gentle manual friction techniques to lift and release loose undercoat and trapped debris without excessive pulling or coat damage.
Often ideal for
- Sensitive cats
- Early coat compaction
- Cats who dislike bathing
- Senior cats needing lower-intensity handling
- Precision work around delicate areas
Benefits may include
- Reduced shedding
- Improved skin comfort
- Less coat tension
- Gentle undercoat release
- Increased grooming tolerance
Our focus is controlled, patient release — not aggressive brushing.
HydroFriction™
HydroFriction™ combines warm water, coat saturation, and precision friction techniques to soften, separate, and release impacted undercoat safely and effectively.
Water changes the physics of the coat. It reduces static tension, softens trapped debris, and allows undercoat to separate with less force and less discomfort.
Often ideal for
- Dense undercoat
- Compacted shedding
- Seasonal coat blow
- Greasy or buildup-prone coats
- Cats requiring deeper coat reset work
Benefits may include
- More effective undercoat release
- Healthier skin and coat condition
- Reduced irritation
- Relaxation through warm-water handling
- Improved cleanliness and comfort
HydroFriction™ is one of the most effective tools we use for low-stress coat restoration.
AirFriction™
AirFriction™ uses controlled airflow to lift and separate loosened undercoat and dander while maintaining coat comfort and skin safety.
This process helps extract debris and dead coat that manual handling alone may not fully remove. Our airflow methods are carefully regulated for feline tolerance and nervous system comfort.
Often ideal for
- Heavy shedding cats
- Double-coated cats
- Allergy reduction goals
- Finishing and coat refinement
- Cats needing lightweight coat feel
Benefits may include
- Deep coat cleaning
- Reduced loose dander
- Cleaner, lighter coat texture
- Less shedding at home
- Improved airflow through the coat
Air is never used aggressively. Comfort always comes first.
What Release Can Look Like
Coat decompression is not one single technique. It may involve deshedding, bathing, HydroFriction™, AirFriction™, pelt release, manual separation, or a staged combination depending on what the cat’s body and coat can safely tolerate.
From Compression to Comfort
Severe coat burden can change how a cat moves, rests, stretches, and tolerates touch. The goal of TANDEM Cat® coat decompression is not simply to remove hair. The goal is to restore comfort, mobility, skin access, and body ease.
Many Grooming Problems Begin Before Visible Matting Appears
Trapped undercoat, dander accumulation, oil buildup, friction restriction, and coat compaction can all create discomfort long before a cat develops severe matting.
When Coat Becomes Restrictive
Some cats arrive with coat that is no longer just shedding or compaction. When coat fuses into restrictive matting or pelting, care must shift from routine grooming into structured decompression and safety-focused release.
Grooming Should Support the Whole Cat
At Cats in the City, we believe grooming should support physical comfort, emotional regulation, mobility, skin integrity, and the human-animal connection.
We do not believe force, speed, or restraint should define feline grooming. Instead, we use observation, adaptation, and somatically informed handling to create a calmer and safer grooming experience whenever possible.
Need More Than Routine Brushing
- Shed excessively
- Develop coat compaction
- Have sensitive skin
- Struggle with traditional brushing
- Experience discomfort during grooming
- Need low-stress handling
- Are aging or mobility-limited
- Require structured coat maintenance
After Coat Release
- Softer coat texture
- Reduced shedding
- Less dandruff
- Improved comfort
- Better movement and flexibility
- Increased grooming tolerance
- More relaxed behavior at home
- Cleaner-feeling coat without harshness
Ready to Support Your Cat’s Comfort?
Our grooming services are designed around safety, patience, and feline-centered care. Whether your cat needs a gentle deshed, structured coat restoration, or ongoing maintenance, we tailor care to their individual needs and tolerance.
Explore Connected Grooming Hubs
Every page is an entry point. These hubs connect posture, paws, matting, and non-sedated care into a structured system so you can move confidently from question to plan.
TANDEM Cat® Clinical Grooming
The system behind our pacing, positioning, and threshold-first care for high-needs cats.
Cat Grooming Without Sedation
When awake grooming is appropriate, how we pace it, and when we refer.
Natural Body Position Grooming
Restraint-light handling that protects joints, breathing, and nervous system stability.
Cat Nail Trim Hub
Routine trims, overgrowth risk, and the pathways that prevent embedded claws.
Severe Matting & Coat Reset
When coat restriction impacts comfort, mobility, and quality of life.
Grooming Cats with Joint Pain
How we stabilize posture and protect hips, knees, and backs during care.
TANDEM Cat® is a registered trademark. TANDEM touch™ is a trademark (pending registration). © 2026 Cats in the City.
Explore Cats in the City care pathways
Use the links below to explore TANDEM Cat® authority pages, skin and coat care, transitional care, boarding, nervous-system-based boarding, medical and special needs boarding, TANDEM Cat® grooming, and location-specific cat grooming pages.
Cats in the City Home
TANDEM Cat® Authority Library
Cat Skin & Coat Care
TANDEM Cat® Transitional Care Model
New Level of Cat Care & Boarding
Boarding Built for the Nervous System
Medical & Special Needs Boarding
TANDEM Cat® Grooming
Powell Location
Beaverton Location
Choose the right location for your cat
Both locations are feline-only and structured. Medical monitoring level differs—use this to route to the correct place fast.
Sellwood – Advanced & High-Needs Care
Overnight staff on campus. Diabetic boarding and the highest-need medical cases are supported here.
Mt Tabor – Calm Care for Stable Needs
Great fit for many cats with stable needs who benefit from a quiet, feline-only environment.
Medical & Special Needs Boarding Hub
Condition-specific guides that explain what we monitor, what to prepare, and where your cat should board.
Diabetic boarding and highest-acuity cases are supported at Sellwood with staff on campus overnight.