he first time a cat owner calls to get their cat groomed, the cat is often matted and suffering from fleas, dandruff, and other types of gross skin and coat issues. The groomer becomes the hero needed to fix the problems for both the cat and owner. But what happens after the initial grooming?

The biggest challenge when working with cat owners is convincing them that their cat needs regular grooming—not just one-time fixes. Educating clients is an important part of the grooming service, and describing the benefits of regular, frequent grooming is the first step.

Improved Coat Condition

Maintaining a cat’s coat frequently is essential for keeping it in optimal condition. While at-home maintenance by the cat’s owner can help, a bath, blow-dry and brush-out by a professional groomer will be much more thorough in removing excess dead hair, oils, dirt and debris at each consecutive appointment. Professional grooming also uses higher-quality products, tools and equipment to gently remove larger amounts of loose hair.

For many cats, a regular grooming schedule can average every 4-12 weeks, depending on the cat’s current coat condition, texture and length, as well as behavior and the services they can receive. Many cats can become agitated during significant mat or dead hair removal. Anything that reduces the amount of brushing, combing or scrubbing, and the length of the appointment can have a positive effect on a cat’s behavior during grooming.

Improved Behavior and Reduced Stress

The relationship between the groomer and the cat can improve substantially with repeat visits. Each time a cat gets groomed, the appointment builds off of what happened at the previous one. Notes should be taken and reviewed on what went better and what didn’t. Knowing more about how a cat reacts and their preferences means their behavior is more predictable for the groomer, which reduces stress for both the cat and groomer.

Changes to handling can include knowing that a cat prefers being touched one way over another or laying on their side instead of being lifted. Some cats may want areas of their body avoided or only lightly touched; for example, the lower belly if a cat has IBD or had a painful UTI in the past.

Cats that only come for grooming when in poor condition also have a higher chance of aggressive behaviors due to the pain and discomfort caused by that condition. Matted hair, debris, fecal matter, ingrown nails, irritated skin, and gunky ears and eyes all contribute to a negative experience. Preventative grooming keeps all of those things well maintained before they reach the point of soreness and sensitivity. Regular grooming also helps to prevent these issues, making cats more comfortable and less likely to display unwanted behaviors.

Improved Health by Early Detection

Regular grooming sessions also provide an opportunity for you to check cats for any changes or abnormal signs indicating health issues. During handling, touching, bathing, grooming, etc., you can check for any lumps or bumps, skin irritations, or signs of parasites such as fleas or ticks. Catching these issues early can help to prevent them from becoming more serious problems.

In many instances, seeing cats regularly means that we are able to recognize even subtle symptoms that their owners may not have noticed yet. The more familiar the cat is, the more likely it is that something “off” can be detected. This can include changes in weight, skin, coat, body condition, behavior, or sensitivity to be touched or handled in specific areas. Early detection is key to getting the cat the veterinary care and treatment they need.

Sharing Information with Clients

In order for clients to learn more about how to best approach their cat’s grooming needs, we need to provide relevant information for them. This can include adding an education section to your website, sharing pictures and posts on your social media accounts, or creating flyers or brochures for clients to take home with them.

You are most likely already verbally providing a lot of this information to your clients. If you are frustrated with having to repeat the same conversations over and over, try recording your explanations while chatting with a friend or coworker. Then you can either use snippets of your recording or write down the transcript to create the content mentioned above. There are places to purchase or share (with credit) information created by other cat groomers, but it will build a substantial amount of trust with your clients if they can hear or read something in your own voice or words.

There will be clients who may not take all advice seriously or change their ways on the first visit. But we can continue to make this information available to them in a compassionate way that solidifies your position as their cat’s grooming expert and improves the relationship we have with both cats and their owners.