by Deborah Hansen HOW MANY PEOPLE
DOES IT TAKE TO
As professional cat groomers, the number of people it takes to get the job done is no joking matter. Some successful cat groomers will tell you to do it alone, others will tell you to have an assistant, yet others will tell you to ask the owner for help. ith so much information and opinions about how many people it takes to groom a cat, what is the answer? I am going to tell you, it depends on your business model, brand and personal cat grooming beliefs. Like with anything, there are pros and cons to all the options available to you.
THINGS TO CONSIDER When deciding how many people to schedule to groom your cat clients, there are three main things to consider: skill level, business ambiance or brand, and your relationship with
cats. All three things will factor into how many people to schedule for each cat groom. Each of us needs to take time to reflect and honestly evaluate our skill level. It is important to be able to recognize felines that are more aggressive than your skill level allows you to safely groom. Accurately assessing the feline’s aggression level at check–in will go a long way to prevent starting a groom on a cat you cannot finish with the resources scheduled for that particular groom. It is also important to know at what aggression level you turn
clients away. Just because your skill level is high and you “can� groom a cat, it doesn’t mean it is in the best interest of your business or employer to do so. When we decide to groom a cat at the high end of our skill level, we can end up with unnecessary bites, scratches and bruises. When grooming cats, personal safety is of the utmost importance. Preventing injuries before they happen is in everyone’s best interest. The second thing to consider when establishing how many people to schedule to groom each cat is your business’ ambiance. How does your