Guide to cat grooming by Heidi Anderton

Introducing Cat Grooming to the Professional Groomer

Heidi Anderton is principal of Absolutely Animals and London School of Pet Grooming. She is an experienced industry expert and is a founder member of the British Isles Grooming Association (BIGA). Grooming cats for over 30 years, Heidi holds two separate cat grooming qualifications and is based in London.

Heidi Anderton and her team love grooming their feline clients

Are you thinking about adding a cat grooming service to your business?

I couldn’t get enough groomers to start cat grooming, because there is such a huge call for it. We groom about 12-15 cats per week over a two-day period and all my team love grooming the cats. I think we will soon be increasing this to three days. The cats are groomed in a separate room from the dogs and having cats and dogs in on the same days makes for a very full on day, but we love it. Our students are always amused and bemused by the cat grooming, especially when they can hear a loud meowing from a cat next door and expect us to come walking into the dog salon cut to shreds; it never happens…...and I will explain why.

It’s a myth that cat grooming is difficult and that cats go crazy during grooming or bathing. It’s no different in terms of behaviour to dog grooming. 95% of dogs will enjoy or tolerate the grooming jobs they require. In the same way 95% of the cats will enjoy or at least tolerate the grooming service.

Why is there a call for cat grooming?

Contrary to common belief, cats cannot always clean and wash themselves. With thick coated short haired breeds, semi-long- and long-haired breeds, they need additional help. As well as older cats, cats with health issues, overweight cats and sometimes even lazy cats, they need assistance maintaining the coat.

Cats will generally be anaesthetised for this once per year, but of course we know the risks are high with this course of action, and it can be avoided. My vet sends all cats to me now for coat care. I have groomed 13-year-old cats and older who have been sedated all their lives for coat removal and in fact, they have just sat there and enjoyed the attention and the grooming; never actually needing the sedation in the first place.

These poor cats have to be one of the most neglected pets in terms of coat care that I have ever seen. They often arrive to my salon in the most atrocious of conditions. I had a cat once that had the matting on its cheeks, attached to the matting on the neck and shoulders. Suffice to say, “the poor cat couldn’t move its head from side to side”. You rarely see matting on a dog as tight as often as you do on a cat and we need lots more groomers to help with the feline’s upkeep, and to promote grooming education to the owners.

Cat in need, are huge indeed! People often say: “why get a long-haired animal if you aren’t going to groom it?” Well, the answer is simple, often they don’t go out to buy this cat, perhaps they are given it or left it by someone or sometimes, the cat finds them. They seem to have no idea that the cat needs help grooming this coat and they often find out when it’s too late. When the coat is matted or the faeces are stuck on at the rear, giving off an unpleasantly strong smell. This is usually when they will seek the help of a cat groomer.

We use this first meeting as an opportunity to educate the owner to maintain the coat care regularly by grooming at home and with regular visits to the salon. This usually works and owners will book every two to three months with their cat – we also have quite a few who visit every month. And those that still come once a year or more.

If you research cat groomers in your area you will still see there is a huge call for cat groomers. We have clients that travel a long way for our service, but we can’t groom them all.

What’s it like being a cat groomer?

Much like being a dog groomer, only slightly different handling and use of equipment.

Firstly, we recommend there are two of you available for grooming cats. This may be two designated groomers or one groomer and the owner of the cat. Of course, it really depends on the temperament of the cat as to what assistance is required, but often two will make the job easier and quicker, completely removing the need for scruffing the cats too, which I hate!

I have to say grooming cats is generally a lot quieter and slower than the dog grooming but just as interesting and entertaining.

I have to say grooming cats is generally a lot quieter and slower than the dog grooming but just as interesting and entertaining.

What skills and equipment will I need?

You will need a calm and confident disposition to be a cat groomer. Cats will play you just like the dogs and read your innermost thoughts. If you are afraid or over exuberant you will have difficulty communicating with the cats. With cats you need to be slow and steady, calm and assertive, I find talking to them usually makes a huge difference to their demeanour.

You need to have the correct equipment and techniques when working with cats. We follow general rules of procedure, always putting the health and safety of the groomer and the cat first, but as with the dogs, we may need to modify these for the individual.

When the coat is matted on a cat it generally needs to be cut off - this is the job of a skilled person who uses the tools required.

We use specialist Kiss trimmers on the cats to remove mats safely and as they are so quiet, without much objection from the cat. The blades are such good quality my one has already lasted me a year. You can find these on my website shop.

We also use specialist gloves if required to protect the back of the hand and forearm. If a cat is going to scratch you, it will be here. You must be ready for all situations, watching the behaviour of the cat and concentrating on what you are doing, otherwise you will lose their attention.

If you already possess transferable skills, like those of a dog groomer, then you can learn cat grooming very quickly. Just make sure the tutors are experienced who teach you cat grooming. Heidi Anderton LCGI www.absolutelyanimals.biz

Burns Launches Improved Sustainable Wet Food and Tasty Burns Bites

Burns Pet Nutrition launched two exciting new ranges into production this year with the introduction of their Burns Bites dog treats and improved Wet Food range.

Moving on from their previous wet food branding of Penlan, Burns Wet Food is hand cooked in Wales, made with responsibly sourced ingredients from British and Irish farms and now features a new and improved recyclable tray. Seeing no need to change the recipe, and of course not straying away from their healthy and wholesome ethos, the Burns wet food is still as hypoallergenic and wholesome as ever, and made using a single protein source. The tasty varieties on offer are Organic Chicken, Wild Fish, Hearty Lamb, and a Free Range Egg variety for meat free dogs. The wet food is perfect for adult and senior dogs of any breed as well as fussy and sensitive dogs, and is currently available on the Burns customer and trade website, as well as in stores.

Burns has also launched a new range of natural dog treats. The range is available in several varieties, including Oatie Bites, Pork Bites, Training Bites and Carrot Bites, a completely vegan option for owners who would rather follow a meat free diet with their dogs.

Burns new 100% natural treat range has been designed with both the owner and dog in mind. As well as being 100% natural, hypoallergenic, tasty and healthy, they are also made from sustainable sources. Each packet contains a full list of ingredients so that owners can easily see the quality and trustworthiness of the product. Like all Burns food, this range focuses on using a handful of natural, wholesome ingredients to make sure pets can get all the nutrients they need with absolutely no artificial nasties, providing a natural and healthy balance for pets and owners.

If these new range releases confirm anything, it’s that Burns firmly upholds their belief in good quality, wholesome ingredients and healthy food without compromise. Burns Pet Nutrition has been at the forefront of the healthy pet food market since the company was founded by veterinary surgeon John Burns in 1993, and since their humble beginnings, they’ve won numerous awards, sold over 2 billion bowls of healthy and wholesome pet food to date and have continued to support shelters, charities and community projects across the UK by donating 25% of all profits every year.

If you’re interested in becoming a Burns Stockist, or would like to find out more about our award-winning pet food ranges, visit our trade website on www.trade. burnspet.co.uk