A coat can change quickly when self-grooming, mobility, appetite, or elimination changes.
Cat sitting can monitor coat condition and complete approved light maintenance, but advanced matting, bathing, clipping, embedded claws, or medical skin concerns belong in the appropriate grooming or veterinary pathway.
Track change without turning the visit into an unplanned grooming appointment.
Describe the ordinary coat, problem areas, approved tools, cat tolerance, prior grooming schedule, and conditions that should be reported.
Early matting and webbing
Notice new tangles, friction areas, coat separation, restriction near limbs, collars, chest, belly, hips, or sanitary regions.
Skin and surface change
Observe visible dandruff, grease, redness, wounds, scabs, parasites, swelling, discharge, or areas the cat repeatedly licks or avoids.
Urine and fecal contamination
Check the sanitary region, tail, hind legs, paws, bedding, and litter access when elimination or mobility creates hygiene risk.
Self-grooming decline
Note whether the coat looks newly unkempt, compressed, greasy, separated, or less maintained than the cat’s usual baseline.
Claw visibility
Observe obvious overgrowth, snagging, paw sensitivity, or a claw contacting skin without attempting procedures outside the approved visit plan.
Approved light maintenance
Gentle brushing or combing may be included when the cat accepts it, the tool and method are specified, and the coat is safe for routine home maintenance.
Do not leave an already-compromised coat for the sitter to manage.
Schedule needed grooming before departure when the cat has matting, heavy undercoat, contamination, overgrown claws, a history of rapid coat decline, or reduced self-grooming.
The sitter can identify a need without attempting to resolve it in the home.
Photographs and written observations can help the guardian and Cats in the City decide whether the cat needs a grooming appointment, transportation, or veterinary assessment after or during the care period.
Professional grooming
Matting, bathing, advanced coat care, claws, hygiene reset, seniors, and medically complex grooming.
Grooming route →Transportation
Coordinate Cat Chauffeur or Go Pet Go when the cat needs care and the guardian remains away.
Transport route →Veterinary care
Use a veterinarian for wounds, pain, infection, unexplained skin change, rapid decline, or other medical concerns.
Veterinary route →Show the sitter what “normal” looks like.
Include current photographs, grooming history, problem areas, tools, handling response, approved light maintenance, and the Cats in the City grooming contact.