“How long do I need to leave my cat for grooming?”
We aim to have your cat groomed as quickly as possible, however working with animals means this will not always go to plan.
• allow for approximately 3 hours.
• If you bring in 2 cats allow for 4 hours.
• If you bring in 3 or more cats allow for 5+ hours
“Can I leave my cat with you all day?”
We like to have cats in the salon for the shortest time possible, however if you have to work or have other things to do while your cat is with us, we may be able to accommodate this. Please ensure you discuss this with us when you make your booking.
“Can I drop my cat off early for their appointment?”
In most cases we can accommodate early drop offs. Please ensure you discuss this with us when you make your booking.
“How do I bring my cat to the salon?”
We require cats to be contained in a carry crate. Please have a crate for each cat you bring in as some cats can behave unexpectedly towards each other after a groom as they can look and smell different.
Every effort will be made to ensure your cat is groomed as safely as possible. Often cats behave much better when the owner is absent or they are not aware of their owner’s presence. If you decide to stay in the waiting area, please be discreet, do not allow your cat to see you or talk to it as this encourages them to move and wiggle which makes the groom take longer and can cause accidents to happen.
“My cat is aggressive, will you still groom them?”
We are happy to attempt a groom on any cat. We are unable to assess if we can groom them without meeting them first. We ask that you inform us if your cat has a history of being aggressive or biting/scratching so that we are prepared and can take precautions. We reserve the right to stop a groom at any stage where we feel there is danger to us or your cat.
“My cat is scared of being groomed, can you help?”
We have worked with many cats to help rehabilitate them to be able to tolerate and in a lot of cases even enjoy the grooming experience. This takes time and can require regular visits to help them become used to the grooming process and environment.
“My cat is aggressive, should I have them sedated for you?”
No. We do not groom any cat under sedation. We use a cat’s body language and signals to read them while they are being groomed. A sedated cat does not show normal signs and makes it hard for us to read them which can lead to reactions from your cat that are unexpected. A sedated cat is often aware of what is going on, but unable to respond how they like and it can cause them unnecessary trauma.
“My cat is not feeling well, should I still bring them in for their groom?”
Please call us if any health issues have arisen with your cat prior to their groom. We want your cat’s groom to be as successful and comfortable as possible. If they are not feeling 100% we may suggest that we reschedule your appointment to a later date.
FAQ’s for Membership Program
“What’s the difference between the packages?”
If your cat is long coated you will automatically qualify for the Diamond Package only it’s available monthly or bi-monthly. The Sapphire Package is available only for short coated cats. However if you have a short-coated cat and would like services such as a lion clip, comb cut etc you will need to select the Diamond Package.
Included with the Sapphire Package for short coated cats is a bath and blow dry, de-shed, nail trim, ears cleaned, hygiene trim (if required) and soft paws (optional).
Included with the Diamond Package for all coat lengths is a bath and blow dry, de-shed, a lion clip, all comb cuts with additional add on’s including toe tuft trim, sanitary clip, soft paws, ruff/mane trim, belly shave and de-shedding treatment. It’s totally fine to switch between packages. Please give us 30 days notice to change your auto debits.
”What happens if I want to come fortnightly?”
Membership entitles you to one groom per month as per your package.
If you wish to come more frequently than once a month you will still be able to book multiple appointments within a month and we will set up your Direct Debit payments accordingly.
For clients coming more than once per month on the Diamond Package, the Sapphire Price will apply for all additional grooms during the month following the first appointment.
”Can I pay for one membership for 2 cats and alternate their visits?”
No. Monthly grooms cannot be used for different cats.
” What if I miss a monthly appointment?”
We do offer flexibility to our members and are often able to accommodate changes to your schedule. Please get in touch as soon as possible, so that we can discuss potential changes to your membership package.
”What happens if there’s no money in my account when my Direct Debit is taken?”
A Direct Debit dishonour fee of $4.40 will apply for each failed Direct Debit. This is charged by our financial institution and your own bank may apply their own additional charges.
”Can I choose when the Direct Debit is taken?”
Yes. You may nominate the day of the month that you would prefer for the debit to be made and this will be paid one month in advance of your appointment.
”What if I want to change my package?”
If you would like to upgrade or downgrade your package you must provide a minimum of 30-days notice and we will amend your Direct Debit accordingly.
”What if I need to change/cancel my appointment?”
Your appointment may be cancelled any time online using your unique membership login, however we require at least 24-hours notice otherwise a cancellation fee of $50 will be payable.
”What if I need to cancel my membership?”
To cancel your membership fully a 30-day notice of cancellation is required either via email or text message. No refunds will be given for missed or unused appointments and therefore we recommend that you use up all paid appointments for your cat’s grooming.
”What if I cancel my membership and later want to re-join?”
If you cancel your membership, your membership spot will be offered to the next person on our membership waitlist. If you then wish to re-join you will be added to the waitlist and upon acceptance will be required to pay your first month in advance as per standard membership terms.
”What happens to my membership if my cat dies?”
Special consideration will be made for those with a deceased cat/new cat scenario and any payments held on your account for future grooming will be refunded or membership can be placed on hold if you are considering getting another cat.
”What if I can’t find an appointment to suit?”
Our new membership system means that there will be greater availability and flexibility of appointments to accommodate everyone’s needs so it is unlikely that you’ll be unable to find an appointment to suit. However, in the unlikely event that you cannot find an appointment and have contacted us the monthly membership fee would be forfeited. We continue to encourage clients to book their appointments in advance to avoid disappointment. If for any reason Aristocats needs to cancel your appointment and an alternate date/time cannot be found that month, a credit of an additional groom will be applied to your account which may be used within the next 3 months.
”How soon in advance can I book my appointment?”
Clients are able to book appointments 3 months in advance using the online booking system.
While greater availability and flexibility of appointments will result from the membership system we continue to encourage clients to book their appointments in advance to avoid disappointment.
”Will you book an appointment for me if I forget to?”
Whilst we will do our best to monitor all membership accounts and ensure that bookings are being made it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that an appointment is booked each month before each grooming spot is allocated. You may, at any time, contact us and we can apply an appointment to your account, or we can do this for you when you visit. This is subject to availability and receipt of your request to do so. Requests must be received 1 week prior to the end of the month.
”Can I be a non-member indefinitely and just pay the $220 each appointment?”
Non-member appointments will only be available to clients on the waitlist for an appointment, and will only be available until maximum member numbers are reached. Once membership reaches maximum capacity our waitlist will be wiped and contain only clients waiting for a membership with us.
It will no longer be possible for non-members to ring up/text/email for an appointment. Appointments will be allocated using the waitlist only.
