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Why Not Groom Cats Too? There is a national shortage of cat groomers, which does present both a challenge and an opportunity for the grooming industry.
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here has never been a better time to add cats to your grooming business offer, in a way which will enhance and expand your business. It’s also important in training to note and respect the differences between dogs and cats. The grooming techniques are not the same. But a skilled groomer can master the art of cat grooming just as they have excelled in the dog grooming profession. At iPET Network we are all about supporting our students and employees to excel and shine in their chosen specialism and profession, finding new and fun ways to grow their business. This is why we are ahead of the curve, and offer the UK’s first ever portfolio of cat grooming qualifications, which allow would-be cat groomers and business expanders to offer a gold standard of service. Sarah Mackay and Fern Gresty codirectors of the iPET Network: Here our cat grooming tutor Katy Gwilt explains more about cat grooming as a career choice.... Cats have a reputation for taking care of their own grooming and disliking water, so why on earth would you want to learn how to groom cats? Well there are lots of great reasons. Many older cats and those with health conditions are no longer able to keep up with their own grooming routine and so need our help to keep their skin and fur in the best possible condition. Long haired cats in particular need year round help to keep their fur knot
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Cats can suffer pain and discomfort when their fur becomes matted or tangled
and mat free as well as tidy around the back end and mane areas (especially if they like to dip it in their water or food bowls!). Cats can come home after an adventure with some strange substances on them like car oil, substances from building sites and bits of twigs and even slugs in their fur which they can’t always deal with themselves or are toxic. This is especially true if a cat has gone away for a few days on an adventure or gotten lost temporarily. There are many dog groomers doing a great job with the dogs in their care, but very few specialist cat groomers in the UK. It is estimated that there are 10.8 million pet cats in the UK, with
26% of households having at least 1 cat so the demand is definitely there. Cats are fascinating animals with completely different behaviour patterns, fur and personalities to dogs so need specialist handling and training. They are by no means small dogs and cannot be treated as such. Many dog grooming salons are now offering cat only days and there is no better time to train than now. The need for cat only groomers is also increasing due to the increase in the number of pet cats and as our understanding of their needs increases. To read our brand new definitive guide to cat grooming visit the course page at www.ipetnetwork.co.uk
