AROUND THE VALLEY : Here’s the Rub: Cat Gets Massage, Owner Doesn’t

Jesabel is accustomed to only the best--Fancy Feast gourmet dinners, siestas on feathered pillows and a plush two-story kitty condo full of rubber balls and stuffed mice scented with catnip.

A 7-pound princess with green eyes, a bushy tail and a shiny calico coat of nutmeg, black and white, Jesabel knows she’s beautiful. She struts through our apartment with an air of entitlement, expecting to be fed in a meow’s minute, expecting adoration the moment she plops before you.

Yet I wondered how my pampered pet would respond to her first massage.

A lavish treat, pet massage is offered through the Hounds Lounge, a doggy day care and grooming store that opened earlier this year on Ventura Boulevard, just east of Coldwater Canyon Boulevard in Studio City. Animal lover Ann Marie Spinelli, 31, who owns the store with her sister Karen Spinelli-Madigan, is a certified masseuse--human masseuse, that is--who also kneads the bodies of dogs and cats.

Spinelli had recently penciled in Jesabel for a 1:30 p.m. massage. A house call, no less.

For the past decade, a small but growing number of veterinarians have practiced holistic treatments, including massage, on animals with stiff or sore muscles. And while luxury kennels and grooming services populate upscale neighborhoods in Los Angeles, veterinarians, groomers and pet lovers say the Valley store is one of the few offering pet massages for nonmedical reasons.

“Pet massage? Is that when a pet walks across a person’s back?” asked Richard Holden, executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Assn., based in Pico Rivera.

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Although some may scoff at pet massage as New Age quackery, others claim that pets reap the same benefits as humans, including increased circulation, muscle relaxation and mental well-being. Even hyper-yappy dogs such as Chihuahuas calm down after a massage, according to pet masseuses.

They also add that animals in pain rarely communicate their distress. A massage can comfort the pet while also detecting lumps and other potential ailments.

Nice, but “pet massage” sounded a lot like good old-fashioned “petting” to me. But there was only one way to find out.

“Massage is not just for spoiled animals,” Spinelli said after arriving at my apartment, explaining that massage targets muscles and differs from the light strokes to which frequently petted animals are accustomed.

Like people, she said pets can also suffer from stress. “Massage can help relieve the tension.”

I couldn’t think of anything causing Jesabel tension. She sleeps, she eats, she plays, she gets petted and praised several times a day.

Every once in a while, my husband and I go out of town. That stresses her, but then we return, she pouts, we give her extra attention and life is good again.

At 7 years, Jesabel is also healthy. Technically, she did not need a massage. And, to be honest, I’m not sure if I’d get Jesabel one if I weren’t writing about it.

Then again, I love pampering my cat. And it’s not like she isn’t useful. She protects me from bugs--once fearlessly biting into a beetle that dared to enter our home. She has arched her back and hissed at people who have raised their voices at me. She heralds my return from work with giddy meows, purrs and prances around my legs.

A pet massage runs about $30 for a half hour. For house calls, Spinelli also charges travel costs, which can run an additional $10 to $15 in the Valley.

The pet owner can also get an hour’s massage for $65 to $85.

“The body shapes are different, but I go through the same procedure with people and pets,” said Spinelli, who has studied the anatomy of humans, dogs and cats. “Everyone gets a full-body massage.”

I opted for a house call to avoid the trauma of trying to get Jesabel into a cat carrier. She scratches, I hurt. She sulks, I feel guilty.

While waiting for Spinelli, I worried whether Jesabel would enjoy her massage. Frankly, I hoped for lots of drool. When she’s pleased, Jesabel purrs and drools.

I warned Spinelli about the saliva potential when she arrived. Undaunted, she scooped up Jesabel and set her on the couch.

Sometimes Spinelli dims the lights and plays tapes of nature sounds, Enya or, her favorite, music from “The Last Temptation of Christ.” Sometimes she uses aromatherapy, which she said works just as well with animals as with humans.

But since it was Jesabel’s first time, I wanted to keep it simple--so no weird lights or spooky music.

“Hey baby,” Spinelli said in a soothing voice as she started stroking Jesabel’s back to loosen muscles and stimulate blood flow.

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Using the Swedish massage technique of circular motions, Spinelli’s fingertips gently, but firmly, pushed muscle away from bones around Jesabel’s shoulder and hips.

Cautious and guarded, Jesabel tensed. Spinelli said the cat had a tender knot near her lower spine.

I was crushed. I derive great happiness knowing my cat is content and carefree.

I began thinking about what could have caused her knot. Maybe it’s from moving across the country earlier this year and adjusting to new surroundings. I know that has given me multiple knots.

“Good girl,” I whispered to Jesabel.

Jesabel began to relax. She basked in the attention. Purrs could be heard from across the room. Drool dripped on the couch.

She was happy, I was happy.

I tried to study Spinelli’s techniques, but I was too amused. My cat lives better than I. She lives a carefree life but gets a massage. I live a stressful life and get no massage.

I realize that dropping $30 for a Jesabel massage is only providing fodder for my jokester husband. But if it makes her happy, and it means scrimping on other frivolities, so be it.

Maybe next time, we’ll go all out and both get a massage.