Feb. 20, 2025

For groomers, collaborating with cats offers a totally different vibe than dealing with dogs, Jennifer Biggins said.

She would know. Biggins has owned and operated Paws & Reflect Pet Grooming since 2008, first in Sioux Falls and now on Tea’s Main Avenue. Early this year, she opened South Dakota’s first grooming spa exclusively for cats along with suites for longer stays.

“I’ve been doing cats in the afternoon after most dogs have gone home and some Saturdays after the dogs have left,” Biggins said. “My clientele has grown for cats, and I decided cats need to be a priority as much as dogs.”

The Cat Tails Feline Pet Spa and Hotel Suites at 220 S. Main Ave. is one block away from Paws & Reflect on the opposite side of the street. Biggins collaborated with a contractor to renovate the building, which once housed a Baptist church.

The builder constructed six suites 4-by-6-feet in size, each with their own cat tree, litter box, water fountain, toys, rugs and bed. Each suite has its own window, and this spring a fully enclosed roof “catio” will be added. Exterior windows also will be added later this year to bring more sunshine into the building.

The Cat Tails also has an open area, set up like a living room, where the cats can hang out and interact with Biggins when she is there. The area includes a television, chair, toys and books.

“We can make ourselves at home while we’re there and interact with the cat if they want to lay with us or if they want to play with us. The cats call the shots,” Biggins said.

Biggins moved her grooming business to Tea in 2008 from her previous location at 41st Street and Marion Road. She graduated from Paragon School of Pet Grooming in 2007 and is taking classes that will result in certification as a feline master groomer with the National Cat Groomers Institute.

The Cat Tails is off to what Biggins said is a great start, although she would like to see suite occupancy expand. To do that, she must educate people who think cats don’t need as much attention as dogs and easily can be left behind for the weekend or longer.

“Cats need just as much attention as dogs,” said Biggins, who owns a standard poodle, an American bulldog mix and two cats.

“That was validated with my first customer. She said the cat is very shy … but I found out quickly that she wanted to be next to me. We didn’t have to interact, but she wanted to be in the same room. If I would walk into another room doing chores, she was right with me.”

Keeping a cat at home with a couple of 15-minute visits a day likely won’t produce the attention they need, she said. Cats want interaction — on their own schedules.

Another misconception is that cats groom themselves and don’t need bathing, Biggins said. When they are licking their fur, that’s all they are doing, just spreading saliva over their bodies. Regular bathing — the recommendation is for every six to eight weeks — will remove the dander, or dry saliva, and oil on their fur.

“Cats do need a good degreasing,” Biggins said. “The grease holds on to dirt and dander, and cats hold a lot of that trapped in their coat. I’m a huge advocate for bathing cats.”

Regular grooming also prevents cat fur from matting, especially with long-haired breeds like Persian and Maine coons. While groomers can shave cats to remove mats, regular brushing can prevent painful mats from forming.

While dogs often are attached to leashes during grooming, that’s not the case with cats, Biggins said. Instead, she keeps the cat calm with her hands. Cats fall into three categories: compliant, shy or aggressive, but that can change rapidly during the grooming session.

“A shy cat can lash out instantly,” Biggins said. “The main goal is to protect the cat and ourselves, and the comfort of the cat is a priority.”

The Cat Tails can be reached at 605-261-9871 or found on Facebook. A website is under construction.