Adventures In Cat Grooming
Bathing a cat sounds about as pleasant and sane as sticking a fork in an electric outlet. But at PurrSnips, a cat-embracing salon on the northeast side, owner Sarah Shelley has turned this most chilling of feats into a science. And occasionally, so she swears, a pleasure.
Shelley worked with dogs for years and admits that grooming cats is a far sketchier affair. Cat bites are much more serious than dog bites because their fangs trap bacteria in deep puncture wounds. “When I started, all I heard was how I don’t want to groom cats,” she recalls. “They’re called ‘career enders.’ If they get a tendon or give you an infection, your livelihood is over.”
Knowing that cats usually lash out because they’re scared, she redesigned the entire grooming process to feline sensitivities. That means no dogs, no ringing phones, no bright lights, no noise. And each client and their feline(s) have the place to themselves for the duration of their appointment.
Cats are taken one at a time into a bathing room scented with calming pheromones. Everything, down to pre-positioned towels and exactly-warm-enough water, is controlled to prevent nasty surprises. Pro tip: To a cat, all surprises are nasty surprises. “The goal is to not hurt or startle,” Shelley says. “Those are the two things that make even a good cat flip out.”
She first wraps kitty in a wet, warm towel, then carries her to the washing tub. Believe it or not, many cats, once soaked, seem to enjoy the experience, says Shelley. Some regulars even purr through the blow dry. The cost? $115–150, depending on coat type—a relatively small price to pay.
Stroke of Creativity
Grabbing a well-composed, in-focus photo of a family pet can be as difficult as getting a clear shot of Bigfoot. It’s no surprise then that Karen Seltzer, the artist behind Best in Show Pet Portraits, has a waitlist. Working out of a Broad Ripple home studio she shares with a 35-year-old turtle, Spotty, and cat Terra, she immortalizes pets in heirloom-quality art. Working from a handful of photos, Seltzer renders an oil painting with a unique representation of a client’s companion. Why commission a canvas when they already have photos? It’s simple, says Seltzer. “Paintings capture a pet’s personality a lot better than any phone pic.”
Worth The Walk
If dogs made the rules, we’d never leave them. But that’s not how it works, which is where a dog walker comes in. But identifying the ideal midday companion for your pet isn’t easy. Esta Denny, founder of Indy’s Furry Godmother, has seen it all. These are the questions she’d ask if she were hiring a walker for her own dog:
How long have they been walking dogs professionally? “You want a walker who views this as a job, not a hobby,” Denny says. A top-notch walker can provide references from past clients to confirm professionalism.
Are they insured? Insurance companies offer pet walking businesses specific policies that cover injuries to your dog—and unexpected damage or harm your pet, however well behaved, might cause. “You do not want to be on the hook if something goes wrong when your dog is with a walker,” Denny says.
Are they flexible? Some dogs need to go to a park and run; others struggle with socialization, Denny points out. “Your walker should accommodate your dog’s needs and schedule, not vice versa.
All Aboard The Pup Bus
Ask a pup, “Wanna go for a ride?” and he’ll likely sprint to the door, a flurry of tail-wagging excitement. Indeed, Tanya Hedegard’s doggo Scotch inspired her to launch Indy Pup Bus in October 2025. The adventure—an off-leash romp on four fenced-in acres at Webster Family Farm in Pendleton—includes pickup and drop-off. “The staff was clearly obsessed with dogs in the best way,” says Angela Tellus of Carmel. “Hershey came home tired and happy.
