Natural Body Position Grooming
Restraint-light handling that protects joints and reduces fear during grooming.
Learn More →At Cats in the City, “all cats” is not a slogan. It is a clinical care position.
TANDEM Cat® grooming is designed to adapt to the individual cat’s nervous system, body condition, coat burden, medical context, and tolerance for handling. We do not expect cats to fit a standardized grooming experience. We redesign the grooming experience around the cat.
That includes the mellow cats, the fearful cats, the first-timers, the seniors, the medically complicated cats, and the cats who have not done well elsewhere. Grooming access should not be limited to the easiest patients.
“All cats” includes both straightforward and high-complexity presentations. The goal is not to separate cats into worthy and unworthy grooming candidates. The goal is to determine what kind of care structure each cat needs in order to receive grooming as safely as possible.
We do not diagnose disease. We observe what the cat’s body is showing, adapt our grooming approach accordingly, and flag findings that should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
The underlying method stays consistent, but the application changes based on the cat in front of us. We do not use one fixed handling pattern for every patient.
This is not about doing less. It is about delivering the right amount of grooming through the safest available structure.
Cats often mask discomfort until a problem is advanced. Grooming creates one of the few repeated opportunities for direct, hands-on observation of coat, skin, nails, hygiene, mobility, and tolerance for touch.
These pages organize care by condition, tolerance level, and grooming need so families can start in the pathway that best matches their cat.
When awake grooming is clinically appropriate, how sessions are paced, and when referral is the better next step.
Open page →How restraint-light, posture-protective handling reduces mechanical stress and improves grooming access.
Open page →Early detection, embedded claw relief, paw pad ulcer risk, and claw care for seniors and high-risk cats.
Open page →When coat restriction begins affecting movement, comfort, hygiene, and quality of life.
Open page →At Cats in the City, we do not define grooming success by whether a cat can be rushed through a standardized routine.
We define it by whether grooming can be delivered through support, regulation, and clinically informed adaptation to the cat in front of us.
TANDEM Cat® grooming is for all cats because the method changes when the cat changes.
TANDEM Cat® is a registered trademark. TANDEM Touch™ is a trademark (pending registration). © 2026 Cats in the City. All rights reserved.
No loud dryers. No rushed sessions. No forced restraint.
Just skilled, co-regulated care delivered by a certified team who understands cats—inside and out.
Looking for feline-only grooming near you? Choose your location above to book a cat grooming appointment.
Prevention, posture, paw health, and trauma-informed handling work together. Explore the full ecosystem of care below.
Restraint-light handling that protects joints and reduces fear during grooming.
Learn More →When awake, trauma-informed care is clinically appropriate—and when it’s not.
Explore →Understanding pelt formation, traction pain, and safe removal strategies.
View Hub →Paw pad ulcers, circular disc claws, and non-sedated excavation protocols.
View Hub →