My Cat Goma Blog Update

5 Warning Signs Of A Bad Cat Groomer + 6 Months Of WBCL Giveaway Winner!

Posted: 18 Dec 2010 12:44 PM PST

Did you know that pet grooming industries are completely unregulated in the US? It means that the groomer does not have to have a license to groom your pets. I hear horrifying stories about pets dying after or during the grooming process, just google the words "Pet's death by groomers" so many similar cases will come up. In my opinion, the grooming industry is in such a mess. It is just out of control. That is why it is SO IMPORTANT to ask questions before you take your pets to the groomer.

As you all know we had such a bad experiences with Goma's groomer. Goma's ear drum was hurt when the groomer aggressively cleaned his ears. Goma was falling to the left and couldn't walk straight. He had a bad anisocoria and nystagmus. Thankfully, Goma is in good condition now but I just can not stop thinking about how to prevent this from happening again. I came to the conclusion that I will groom Goma myself from now on because I simply can not trust groomers anymore.

I understand some people can not groom cats by themselves and choosing a good cat groomer will be very important. Here are some warning signs of a bad groomer that I think are very valid. If your groomer falls in to any of the following descriptions, you might want to run out the door!

1. The groomer doesn't ask questions, or answer questions.

A good groomer should ask you if you want to tour the place, see the product they use and tell you how the procedures are going to be. If they don't, you need to ask them. If they are reluctant about it then walk away. Goma's groomer never offered anything or asked any questions everytime we went in. They just took Goma in and told me to pick him up at a certain time. That is it. We should have known that was a bad sign from the beginning.

2. The groomer's main business is Dogs, not cats.

This is the first sign that you need to look for. Grooming cats requires special skills that are different than dogs. For example ear cleaning!! Good cat groomers know a cat's ear should not be touched. The vet should take care of it because they are extremely sensitive. Even if the groomer's main business are dogs, a good grooming business should have a person who specializes in cats.

3. The groomer does not let you watch your cat get groomed.

A bad groomer will tell you to drop your cat off and pick him/her up after a few hours. If the groomer does not have a place where you can hang around to watch your cat, then something is very wrong. You need to walk away from the groomer.

4. If the groomer tells you "Your cat is very difficult to work with"

A good cat groomer is trained to handle the most difficult cats. A groomer should not make an excuse and blame your cats for their inability to groom your cat. A good groomer knows that cats are difficult, they are not like dogs therefore they should not be making this comment. If they do, that means the groomer is not very experienced and you should walk away.

5. A good cat groomer knows when to stop.

Cats, unlike dogs when they have had it, they have had it. When I went to pick up Goma from the groomer, there were two people handling Goma, holding him down, pulling his tale... It was just terrible to see that. Cats will let you know when they do not want to be touched anymore. A good cat groomer knows a cat has limits and will not force the cat to be groomed beyond their limits. A good groomer will simply say, "Your cat is very stressed right now, it is not good to continue grooming him/her today" and ask you to come back and finish the job some other time.

It is very important that you can trust your groomer because they are handing your precious one. You must go above and beyond to make sure that your groomer is someone you can trust. You must be prepared to walk away from a groomer when things are not right. I hope this post helps you to detect some of the warning signs of a bad cat groomer. Nothing is worse than having your pet hurt by your groomer.

Let's hope someday, the US will start regulating the grooming industry and require all groomers be licenced.

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