Both the groomer and the pet parent should understand- cats are not easy to groom. The groomer will likely be hissed at, could be scratched, and/or have a difficult time maneuvering the cat to groom properly.
Generally, the cat grooming process involves the following steps:
- Bathing
- Nail clipping
- Brushing teeth
- Ear cleaning
Cats don't necessarily have the time of their life at the groomer's.
There are ways to make this easier, though.
Cat Grooming Tip #1: Begin as a Kitten or Begin with Kittens
If you're a groomer that has never groomed cats before, you may want to consider only grooming kittens. Then, the kitten is able to become accustomed to the process and you are able to continue to groom as she becomes an adult. She will already understand the process as an adult and it shouldn't be as stressful. Slowly introducing each piece of equipment is also helpful when grooming a cat.
If you have a kitten, you should begin taking her to the groomer at a young age. As you can see from above, this makes life much easier for you, your cat, and the groomer.
Cat Grooming Tip #2: Trimming the Nails of an Angry Cat
If a cat is extremely stressed, trimming her nails will be no simple task. If your cat, or the cat you are grooming, becomes overly stressed don't force her to continue. Let her have a break from the grooming process, then come back to it shortly after the break.
Cat Grooming Tip #3: Keeping the Peace
If you are relaxed, your cat is more likely to be relaxed. With cats, grooming should be avoided if there is a significant amount of activity surrounding her. To help her calm down, you may also want to consider a few drops of CBD oil prior to arriving at the groomer (or while at the groomer if necessary).
Note: If you are a groomer, having CBD oil on-hand can be extremely helpful. Just don't forget to ask the pet parent if it's okay for you to provide it to their cat.
Cat Grooming Tip #4: Do Not Add Perfumes
In many cases of dog grooming, there is some type of fragrance or perfume added toward the end of the session. You pick your dog up with those adorable little bows in her fur smelling like she just walked through a bed of beautiful flowers.
Cats, on the other hand, cannot stand strong smells. If you, the groomer, are going to use any sort of product, be certain it doesn't have any type of fragrance added first.
Cats aren't the easiest to groom, but you can significantly grow your clientele by adding cat grooming to the list.
And, to all the kitty parents, ensuring your cat has regular grooming sessions will assist in maintaining proper health.