You’d think finding a good cat groomer was just a matter of picking up a business card at your vets or searching the yellow pages – on or off line.
But a better recommendation is to ask your friends if they can give you a recommendation. If that fails, ring a few groomers or pop into their salon. You see not all dog groomers advertise they do cats. You have to ask. A friend of mine who lives in Lanarkshire breeds predigree show cats. She does a lot of grooming. Her next door neighbour is a dog groomer. Handy you’d think. But the neighbour won’t groom a cat, despite having cats of her own.
A practical salon is better than a swanky one
A dog grooming salon doesn’t need to be swanky, though it should be clean and tidy. In most salon’s you can get the opportunity to watch groomers at work. This will give you can idea how they approach the animals in their care.
Why cats are different
Cat grooming does present some issues you don’t face with dogs. Dogs are usually happy to stand still for a groomer or are Ok with being restrained. How does the groomer work with cats? Do they charm them into being cooperative? Another thing to consider is security. With people coming in and out of the salon is there a high counter between the grooming tables and the door or some other barrier? One thing to ask is whether you can bring your cat in for a consultation. This is the best route for your cat if your cat’s never been to a groomers. It’s also an opportunity to weigh-up the groomer a bit more while they weigh up your cat!
Cat grooming prices
Pricing is obviously a consideration . Rates aren’t fixed. Far from it. A few groomers will work out their charges based only on the time they spend working with your cat. Others will have rates for services. But it’s obvious pricing will also depend on the condition of your cat’s coat and the pace at which the cat perfers the groomer to work.
Is the groomer a cat person?
By default most dog groomers are firmly dog people. Obviously some are cat owners, but others would never imagine themselves crossing over to the dark side! With most professionals that interact with my cats (sitters, groomers, vets, catteries) I always ask about their pet history. Just the, “What pet’s do you have?” question. It immediately gets them talking about their own pets (even if they don’t own a cat!). Are they their babies? Or is the relationship more distant? After all, cats like people who like cats. You can’t handle a cat like a dog.
