ok to groom a cat?

Question
We have a domestic long-haired cat, almost 2 years old.  He constantly sheds fur, even during our harsh winters.  Summer weather in our part of the country can be very hot and humid, and we allow our cats to go in and out of the house as they please.  We are seriously considering getting him professionally groomed at Petsmart before the warm weather turns unbearably hot.  We are concerned that this might traumatize our cat.  Also, we're not sure if his fur will grow back evenly.  Do you advise getting him groomed?  He is a very shy cat, preferring to hide in his cat house all day, but is affectionate with us when we force interaction on him.  Additionally, our short-haired black cat, 3 years old, always has dandruff.  What causes dandruff in cats and what can we do to get rid of it?

Answer
Anna,

To be honest I don't typically recommend that cats are groomed when it comes to shaving them for the summer by anyone but a veterinarian, that way if the cat needs sedation to be groomed he can be safely monitored and recieve appropriate doses of medication for his weight and medical history. As for the short haired kitty with the dandruff that's likely an issue with the quality of diet he's being fed...If you like I can offer information on appropriate cat nutrition. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again - I'm happy to help in any way that I can.

Kind regards,

Ali