Cats, Color, Hand-Stripping: What We Don't Do Here
Lillian Ruff Pet Spa
If you searched for cat grooming in East Northport and landed here, we will save you the phone call: we do not groom cats. We are a dog grooming salon, and there are a handful of other things people ask us for that we do not do either. Here is the whole list, in plain terms, so you know before you drive over.
16 Laurel Rd is dogs only, by appointment, Tuesday to Saturday. No cats. No creative color. No hand-stripping or show trims. No daycare, boarding or shop at this address — that is our Ronkonkoma salon.
We do not groom cats
This one comes up most, and it is worth explaining properly, because "no" sounds like a brush-off and it really is not one.
Cat grooming is a separate job. Different handling, different restraint, different blades, and a completely different tolerance for noise and waiting. Cat skin is thinner and looser than dog skin, which changes how you clip. And a cat that is already unhappy usually gets worse the longer it is out of the carrier, so the whole job is built around speed and quiet — the opposite of how a dog salon runs.
A room with dryers going and dogs coming and going all day is a bad room for a cat, no matter how good the person holding the clippers is. That is the real reason, not a preference.
Start with your veterinarian rather than a groomer. Mats can hide skin that needs looking at, and some cats have to be sedated to be shaved safely. That is a medical decision and only a vet can make it.
If your cat is fine and just needs a tidy, search for a cat groomer rather than a pet groomer — the wording matters, because most general listings return dog salons like ours. When you call, the two questions that sort it quickly are whether they are cat-only or have cat-only hours, and whether the cat waits anywhere near dogs. Your own vet's office is also a reasonable place to ask; they know who in the area takes cats.
No creative color, and no show or hand-stripped trims
Three separate things that all get asked for in the same breath.
Hand-stripping deserves a real explanation, because owners of terriers, schnauzers and other wire-coated dogs are often told to ask for it and are not always told why.
A wire coat sheds by releasing dead hair from the follicle. Hand-stripping removes that dead outer coat by hand so the new coat grows in with its original harsh texture and deeper color. Clipping cuts the coat off instead of removing it, so the softer undercoat takes over and the color tends to go paler and fluffier over time. Neither is wrong. They are different outcomes.
Hand-stripping is also slow, done in stages, and only comfortable for a dog whose coat is actually ready to release. We do not offer it. We clip.
We are a good fit if
- You want a clipped pet trim that is easy to keep up
- You are happy with a softer, lighter coat on a wire-coated breed
- You want a bath, brush-out and tidy on a regular schedule
- You want published prices rather than a quote over the phone
Look elsewhere if
- You need the wire texture and color preserved
- You are preparing a dog for the show ring
- You want color work of any kind
- You have a cat
Telling you we are the wrong salon costs us one appointment. Getting it wrong costs you a wasted morning and your dog a bad day.
No daycare, boarding or shop at East Northport
East Northport is a grooming salon and nothing else. There is no play yard, no overnight stay, and no retail shelf here. If you need any of those, that is our Ronkonkoma location, which does grooming plus daycare, overnight boarding and retail, and is open seven days.
| What you need | East Northport | Ronkonkoma |
|---|---|---|
| Grooming | Yes | Yes |
| Daycare | No | Yes |
| Overnight boarding | No | Yes |
| Retail shop | No | Yes |
| Sunday or Monday | Closed | Open, 9–5 |
The Sunday and Monday point catches people out, so it is worth saying twice: East Northport is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 to 5, and closed Sunday and Monday. Everything here runs by appointment.
We are at 16 Laurel Rd, in the hamlet of East Northport, in the Town of Huntington, Suffolk County. East Northport is bordered by Northport to the north, Commack to the south, Greenlawn to the west and Fort Salonga to the east. Larkfield Road is the hamlet's main commercial spine, and the Northport LIRR station actually sits inside East Northport, at Larkfield Road and Bellerose Avenue. Worth knowing before you set off: Laurel Road has more than one grooming business on it, so check the street number on the door — ours is 16.
What we actually do
Two services, both priced by the dog's weight, both published on the site.
Bath and brush is the maintenance option: wash, dry, full brush-out, tidy. Full groom is that plus a haircut. Those ranges run smallest dog to largest, and the pricing is published by weight on the booking page.
Weight is the honest way to price this, because it tracks the two things that actually drive the work: how much coat there is and how long the dog has to stand for. A small dog in a short trim is a different afternoon from a large double-coated dog that needs a full brush-out first. Publishing it by band means you can work out roughly where your dog lands before you speak to anyone.
That is genuinely unusual around here. Of eighteen Long Island salons we checked from their own websites, only seven let you book online at all and only three publish any pricing. We are not claiming to be better groomers because of it. We are saying you should not have to call three places to find out what a haircut costs.
One more boundary, and it is a firm one. We are groomers, not veterinarians. If we notice something on your dog while working — a lump, a hot patch of skin, an ear that smells wrong, a tick — we will tell you exactly what we saw and where it was, and then we will tell you to call your vet. We do not diagnose, treat, or guarantee any medical outcome. Anyone who does is overstepping.
Questions people actually ask
Do you groom cats at all — even short-haired ones, even just nails?
No. We are dogs only, with no exceptions for short coats or quick jobs. Look for a cat-specific groomer, and ask your vet's office who they send people to.
Can you dye my dog's ears for a party?
No. We do not do creative color of any kind. It is a separate skill with its own products and we are not set up for it.
My schnauzer is supposed to be hand-stripped. Can you do it?
No, we clip. Your dog will look neat and be comfortable, but the coat will gradually get softer and lighter than a stripped coat. If keeping the wire texture matters to you, you want a groomer who offers stripping.
Can my dog stay for the day, or overnight?
Not at East Northport — there is no daycare or boarding at this address. Our Ronkonkoma salon offers both.
Can I pick up shampoo while I am there?
Not in East Northport. There is no retail at this location. Ronkonkoma has the shop.
Are you open Sundays?
East Northport is closed Sunday and Monday, and open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 to 5. Ronkonkoma is open seven days, 9 to 5.
If your dog is on that first list, book it.
Prices are published by weight and appointments are booked online.
See pricing & book ›16 Laurel Rd, East Northport, NY 11731 · Tue–Sat 9–5
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