The Importance of Cat Grooming Education

Cat grooming sounds simple enough. If you are a dog groomer, you should be able to just start grooming most cats with no problem, right? Actually, that’s not likely. Cats are not dogs, and should not be handled like a dog. Just because someone is an experienced dog groomer does not mean that they can groom a cat proficiently. They are a completely different species with a completely different set of instincts, reactions, and anatomy. Cats deserve professional expert grooming just as much as dogs do!

If you are a groomer looking to get into cat grooming, investing in cat-specific grooming education can work wonders for your confidence and career! If you are a client looking for a groomer for your cat, being aware of what a cat groomer should know will help you to find the right groomer for you and your feline family member.

As I get closer to finishing up my Certified Feline Master Groomer certification (CFMG), I have been thinking a lot about this topic lately. For the last couple of years, I have been studying cat grooming with the National Cat Groomers Institute. I feel that it is extremely important to have expert training specific to grooming cats for several different reasons.

How can cat grooming education help you?

• Understand the difference between cats and dogs

• Understand cat behavior and instincts

• Understand the specific needs of cat skin and coat

• Understand cat anatomy and movement

• Understand how to prevent injury to cat and groomer

• Understand what level of “spicy” cats you can handle

• Learn how to groom a cat efficiently

• Learn how to determine a cat’s temperament

• Learn the signs of stress and what to do if you see them

• Learn how to prevent a cat from escalating

• Learn how to make the cats look amazing

• …and much more!

In preparation for this blog post, I asked some of my peers in the cat grooming industry about their experiences with cat grooming education. Here are a few highlights from a mix of students and Certified Feline Master Groomers (CFMG):

“One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing pics of finished grooms where the cat isn't clean. It wasn't until I learned what a truly clean cat looked and felt like that I picked up on this. It has made a huge difference in my final product. As a dog groomer, I always heard the top groomers saying the most important part of the groom is the bath or prep work. Later, I see the same dog groomer posting a finished cat with obvious hair separation. Education taught me how to get a cat clean and that a clean cat dries faster.”

- Kerry Gardner (NCGI Student)

“People tend to only know cat grooming exists once the coat's situation has gone too far. When owners search for how-to videos, they're met with an overwhelming amount of content that involves a cat being placed in a kitchen sink or bathtub before the water has been turned on, using dish soap or a generic pet shampoo, with the cat often flailing onto the floor and being left to lick itself dry. They will also be faced with videos from dog groomers who are "not afraid" of cats, but are ignorant of unique cat features such as whisker placement, coat types, and stress signals. Cats cannot be treated like little dogs and their grooming is not a novelty. How do you keep a cat in a steady position when they're able to drop their shoulders? How do you work around the stomach when cats are notorious for not wanting that area touched and might not be keen on being on their back? Cat grooming education is not only how to do something, it's also why you do something. NCGI shows why you don't restrain, why you only use 10 blades, why you have certain line placement, why the face trim is important, why certain materials and ingredients should be avoided, why a runny nose could be more than hay fever, why a Siamese is blow dried differently from a Maine Coon. Qualified hairdressers are not dermatologists, but you would trust their judgment when suggesting products for your skin and hair type and listen to them if they mentioned something appeared abnormal. Groomers are not vets, but if one has specific cat education, you can trust they know how to read and respond to a cat's behaviour and know they take the cat's health seriously.”

- Emily Von (CFMG)

“When I researched cat grooming before I transitioned from humane law enforcement to grooming there was nothing that compared to the quality education NCGI offered. Not even close.”

- Mel Brink (CFMG)

“Without proper cat grooming training and a solid understanding of cat behavior, cats can end up having a very bad experience that might prevent future grooms without anesthesia. Many cats don't like to be around dogs or even other cats. Oh, I have so much to say on this topic!”

- Lou Ann Gaskell (NCGI Student)

“I will share an experience on why knowing how cats think and react is important and different than dogs. They are both prey and predator animals and are more cautious and on the defensive when out of their comfort zone. Knowing this about cats and not putting them in a fight or flight frame of mind from the beginning, will bode much better for a successful groom. I helped out another salon that did dogs and wanted to add cat grooming. Even though they promised me a different scenario, I had to check in cats in the dog salon where there was usually chaos, as they were cageless and did doggie daycare. Barking, phones ringing, lots of people, bright lights affected the cats who were many already uncomfortable from the carrier/car ride, usually associated with vet visits. There were a couple of cats that were aggressive right from the start and part of it was due to all that I have just discussed. They were sent home. I didn't help out much more and started grooming in a different environment. No dogs, quiet. It's just me and the cat, no distrations. The prior salon has sent me some of their cats they couldn't get out of the carriers and I had a much different experience and was able to groom them, no issues. I relate this to the environment. My education has taught me how a cat thinks and reacts in different situations and steps I can take to alliviate their fear. The average dog groomer with no cat creds will not know these things unless they seek this education out. Cats are not dogs...they are cats, an entirely different species.”

- Sandra Porter-Gonyea (CFMG)

As I am nearing the end of my journey to be certified with the National Cat Groomer’s Institute, I am so incredibly grateful for the quality education and the fantastic support that I have received. However, even after I achieve my certification, I know I will never stop learning. There is always something new to learn, and always some way to improve!

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” - Anthony J. D’Angelo