I find myself wondering all too often, whom do I trust less? The Cat or the Owner???
I believe it would not be an exageration to say that cat owners have no natural gift or ability to identify their cat’s temperment and know their thoughts on being groomed by a complete stranger. They indeed know nothing about what their cat thinks, feels or how it will react in any given situation.

Case in Point:

Today at 11:55 sharp, my first client of the day arrives. A new client with two cats. On was tortie-point Himalayan, and the other a flame-point Siamese. Now we all know that these two particular cats are just what every cat groomer wants to see in her book first thing on Tuesday.
I am predicting these cats to be mean-as-fire and act as if they have a few screws lose when faced with scruffing, clippers, combing, drying, water..well you get the point. They should tolerate grooming just about as well as any cat who is having their toenails ripped out with pliers.
So I get the clients info and proceed with the temperment test.
Of COURSE, in front of the owner, they pass with flying colors. All the while, the mom is gong on and on about how these are the best cats, they have never done anything bad, they love grooming (which at home consists of petting,) and that she wants them to come in every four weeks. I like the last part, but the rest went in one ear, and out the other.
So even though I know that in about .74 seconds flat they will be able to take three fingers off if I let them, I allow the mom to leave and give her a time to return and make sure I have number to contact them right away if need be.
So I start with the Siamese, she is just getting a good bath and then mostly cage drying. At this point she has proceeded to curl herself up like a boa consrictor in the back of her mesh carrier. So I get her out and put her on the table to trim her nails, all is well. Put her in the tub, all is well. Wet her down, still ok. Begin to work the shampoo in and she begins to growl. She hates being touched. I can barely scrub her without every muscle in her body twitching and contracting. She flails and kicks and squirms for me to just get my hands off of her. I get the bath over with as quickly as possible and stick her in a cage to dry.
On to the Himi. Now mind you, this is just about one of the most beautiful tortie-pt himi’s I have ever seen. Very much worthy of a show ring (despite its present matted condition.) Nice head structure, cobbiness, and THICK coat. Hence the matted-ness, and dire need of a lion trim. Because she aced her temperment test in front of the owner, I have about 3/4 of a belly shave done, so I begin her Lion trim like any other cat, at the base of the tail. All is going great, really suprised actually, until I get to the head and neck area. The alligator chomping noises and violent head thrashing had begun. So into the tub she goes, big bushy matted ruff and all. She does great with the water, but once again, cannot stand the scrubbing or fingers touching her. Really bizzarre actually, seeing as these cats are “the best cats in the world” and all.
So she goes right into my CSV. She tolerates the noise and feeling of the dryer just fine. She cannot stand the comb out or handling one bit.
These cats were just plain exhausting. I knew from the get-go they would be, regardless of what the ‘mom’ said. It is funny how certain colors and breeds have developed a reputation with us cat groomers.
I knew when I made the appointment to be on guard with these two, and believe me I was.
As genuine and sweet as the owner was, I knew that I could not believe a word she said about her cats’ personalities. I am sure they are fine at home, but you have no idea how a cat will react when faced with fear. Even the sweetest of cats, are still a defensive and unpredictible ball of fur.
Tomorrow I look forward to Snowball and Marcy. Two cats whose pelts hang shamefully on my wall, and to this day still hold a grudge about it. They come out swinging and ready to fight every 4 weeks. Some cats never get used to grooming, regardless of the favors I have done them and miseries I have relieved them of. I suppose that is another perk of being a cat….they can be unthankful, decietful, lazy, and greedy…. and still have their meals served to them in crystal and sleep all day on a velvet pillow. And even though they behave so indecently, they are still referred to as ‘the best cats in the world!’

I am back from our weekend of showing.  Trustin and I are exhausted!  Driving home he was lying on my lap and turned up to look at me about 30 minutes into the ride home as if to say “Mom, it is hard work being a show cat!” 

This weekend, he made 6 out of 8 finals!!!  He took 3 2nd Best All-Breed Long-Hair Cat in Premiership, 1 All-Breed Best Long-Hair Premier, 1 2nd Best Premier  in a double-specialty ring and a Judges top 10/25  placement.  Over the course of the weekend he beat 6 different Grand Premiers and one Grand Premier who was running for a Regional award.  I am very proud of him!

I am also proud to announce that I recieved “excellent presentation” comments from 3 differnt judges, one of whom kept asking me if he was Granded yet!  He really seemed to take an interest in Trustin and the fact that our showing careers are just beginning.  He  told me that he remembers his days of being a new-comer and how exciting it was to make finals, and wished us the very best of luck!

Although it was exhausting driving 2 hours each way both days, it was well-worth it.  It is funny how the most tiresome things usually are the most rewarding.  Things that you work so hard for are the most satisfying.  I kind of think that cat showing is alot like being a cat groomer sometimes.  Except, instead of winning worthless ribbons, we win our customer’s trust and can sometimes gain friends for life.  As much as I love hanging ribbons and calling my cat “momma’s little winner,” I find a much greater satisfaction in putting my closed sign out after a successful and profitable day at my shop. 

Kind of like the long drive and costs of cat showing are the cons of cat shows, and the joy of winning something and the commendation of judges are the pros….I love coming to work everyday, no matter who bites or pees or poops that day, it was worth it!!!

I will try and post pics on the message board, since I believe they may be too large for here!

There are big things in the works for creative groomers. Anyone who has acheived the title of CFCG, should really be keeping their ears and eyes open for opportunities to showcase your creativity and gain some publicity for your works of art. I was contacted by a good friend of mine who happens to be the president and founder of the NAPCG (National Assocciation of Professional Creative Groomers) and she said that a production company has contacted her regarding doing a series on creative grooming. At first he thought it was limited to just dogs, but then she shared my contactinfo with him to get the “cat side” of things. We are really excited for whats in store, so keep alert for major changes in the creative industry!
Here’s a cat I did just last week for a soldier returning from Iraq. His troops had adopted a little stray Bengal type cat where they were stationed, and he was heart broken to have to leave him there when he got his letter stating he would be coming home. His wife arranged to have their little cat “spotted” for his return. He called me with a tearful thank-you later that week!

This is Mopsy next to a stuffed animal I used as a model!

So this coming weekend, I will be at a cat show. This time it’ll just be Trustin and I.  TK, my other persian, blew his coat right after being nuetered, so am giving him some time to grow it back in before re-entering the showring as an open in Premiership.
My assistant Lucas, and I, have this funny thing with these cats though….Ever since I brought them home from North Carolina, Trustin has always been a momma’s boy, and TK, the younger cat, always has taken more of a liking to Lucas. So at their first show together, Lucas came along to see how ‘his boy’ would do in the ring.
This first show was just to get their winner’s ribbons, the very first of any cat’s show career. So after 6 out of the 8 rings, both cats had aquired all 6 neccessary ribbons to be considered a Champion and a Premier.  Trustin is my Premier, and at the time TK was still un-nuetered, so he became a Champion.  Meaningless really, but it had to be done so they could go for their Grands.
Lucas somehow though, got it into his head that ‘his boy’ was a better show cat than Trustin, which of course made me mad because Trustin is my little boy, and no one messes with my boy!  So, let the games begin!   I told Lucas “If your cat (mind you these are both my cats) is soooo much better than Trustin, why don’t you show him yourself!?”  So he did.  Our next show was 3 weeks away.  I prepared them both for show, since of course Lucas didn’t have time to prep his cat.  So I was stuck doing the baths and blowdrys on his cat!  Now I could’ve sabatoged the competititon right there, but I figured I would play fair!    So we make our way to the show, cage curtains and supplies and cats in tow.  We get all set up and our rings start to be called.  Lucas agented TK and toted him from ring to ring that day like a real male cat show-er (heheheh, you KNOW I let him have it on that one!)   The first three rings Trustin entered he made Best of Breed over other Grand Premiers!  TK on the other hand, kept gettin Best of Colors and 1st places.  Lucas was infuriated.  HIS show-cat wasn’t winning!  He started blaming the judges, blaming my grooming…you know typical guy stuff!   After all 8 rings, Trustin had made 5 Best of Breeds, 3 Best of Colors over 2 other gorgeous Brown Tabby and White males, and 2 Finals!  I was so proud of him!  Now TK, in my opinion an equally handsome cat, only had made some 1st places, a couple Best of Colors, and one Best of Breed.  Plus, he was dog-tired by the end of the day and would barely open his eyes.  Trustin continued to chase toys and ’smile’ for the judges in his Finals!  He was awarded an All-Breed Best LongHair and an All-Breed Best Premier in one of his Finals!!!!  So you can imagine how the ride home went…Lucas pouting, Trustin proudly riding on the console of the car, I beaming with pride, and TK passed out in the backseat.   Lucas, disgruntled, managed to mumble out “I think you should just neuter him, he is never going to Grand.”   I had to chuckle under my breath, because this is sooooo typical of  when a man loses a competition, to a girl none-the-less!    So now, at the shop, I pick up my Trustin and hug him and call him “Momma’s little winner,”  and Lucas has to rush over and scoop up TK and tell him he is so much more handsome than Trustin and that the judges just didn’t know what they were doing.  I guess it will always be a little family fued, but it’s Ok, I have always believed competition will always make us better.   Who knows, maybe someday Lucas will have the best cat in the country!  Until then, Trustin will continue to bring me home a bunch of worthless silk ribbons and make my Wall of Fame continue to grow…And TK and Lucas can bask in Trustin, (the much better looking cat)’s limelight!

Oh, and if Lucas ever makes me mad, I threaten to turn TK into a creative Kitty!