Turn a smelly, greasy feline into a work of art. Here’s how.

First shave the cat in reverse using a #10 blade, leaving a patch of unshaved hair in whatever area you want to leave a design.  Then bathe and blow dry the cat, making sure to get all of the grease, mats, tangles, etc out. The finish should be smooth, clean, and free of shedding undercoat.

Neaten up leg, neck and tail lines so that the lion cut finish is ultra smooth and velvety.

Use a 3/8″ Wahl stainless steel snap-on comb on either the 5 in 1 blade or the Wahl KM2 with a #30 blade (if using suction, which really is best.  I use the Bravura when working on a small area, but prefer suction with a Clipper Vac when working on a larger area.)

If color is to be applied, use a stencil or apply free-hand using a Sprayza or Blo-Pen.  Using the Bravura or a smaller trimmer (My fav – the Wahl Pro LT) to etch out the excess longer hair around the sprayed on design.

If no color is to be applied, simply carve out whatever design is desired.  Stick to basic shapes with straight lines or curves.  Anything really intricate will be difficult or impossible to complete.

I did circles on this cat just to demonstrate the procedure.  A polka dotted cat can be a very fun look indeed.

Being creative is a great add-on service that generates some buzz for you and your business.

Of course, not all cats are candidates for a creative design due to temperament, health, etc.

To learn more on creative cat grooming, check out the NAPCG and sign up for the CGQ: Creative Groomers Quarterly magazine. I write a cat grooming article in each issue.

I’ve been a bit busy lately,which is why I haven’t written a blog entry in several weeks.  I even squeezed in a short vacation in the middle of the busyness – a trip to Washington state for my youngest brother’s wedding.

We’re back into the swing of things again.  School started on Monday.  This morning the students are taking the American Red Cross First Aid/CPR course taught by Liz Boles and will obtain their certification.  After that, we head upstairs so I can groom a cat and teach them the techniques for safer handling, faster grooming, and terrific results.  Then, the students begin grooming cats themselves. There’s always a lot of excitement on this first Wednesday of class – the day the hands-on grooming kicks off.

There are cats lined up in the hallway, just outside my office.  I wonder which one will be my demo cat. So far none are hissing or growling when we walk past them in the hallway.  That is usually a good sign. But then, I have learned to not count my chickens until they’ve actually hatched.  Never trust a cat – that is the cardinal rule of cat grooming.  It is entirely possible that one or more of these crated felines will be waiting for us to open the carrier door so they can strike.  Gotta love cats……….they keep you guessing and teach you to be on high alert at all times.  I love grooming cats!

Our students love grooming cats, too!  It is exciting to hear from our past graduates about their many successes.  Several have been featured in local newspapers and other publications or have appeared on TV simply because of the fact they have attended the world’s only cat grooming school and obtained their CFMG title.  A business savvy groomer, with CFMG-proven skills quickly establishes themselves as a cat expert in their area, which typically results in some media attention and ongoing referrals from veterinarians and other groomers.  There truly is a cat grooming revolution going on, and I am quite happy to be a part of it!

The link below was sent to us from Reeda Close, CFMG.   Reeda is from Queensland, Australia and was the very first person in Australia to earn their Certified Feline Master Groomer title.  (Currently there are 3 CFMGs in all of Australia, with a 4th about half way through the process.)  The link will take you to Reeda’s blog, where she talks about a skeptical new client and their response to their newly groomed cat.  In addition, there is a testimonial from the cat’s owner that includes professionally shot before and after photos of the cat, a gorgeous red tabby and white Maine Coon. (It just so happens that the owners are photographers – the photos themselves areworth a click through.)

Click here to read about Reeda’s grooming experience with this Maine Coon and see the photos and client response to it all. Enjoy!