As in every career, and yes, cat grooming is a career, (just in case you are wondering), it’s important to further your education. There are always new products to learn about, new methods, and new ideas. Recently we spent a few days at the Northwest Groom and Trade show in Tacoma. And just when you thought you knew it all, you take a class and hear something that you might want to incorporate into the business. Classes range from employer information, equipment use and care, grooming, (although it is mostly dogs), client relations and more. Of course as cat people we are always the odd duck in a pond of dog lovers. I can remember at one of my first shows 17 years ago when the word cat was never mentioned. I gave a seminar at Groom Expo in Hershey, Pa. and did a grooming demo with about 300 people in the room. The first question I asked was how many people were grooming cats and how many people were just there out of morbid curiosity. On the first question a couple hands raised as if they needed permission to do so. They slowly made their way in the room, staring at me like I was the weird cat lady from Seattle. Over the years there are now a few more cat seminars here and there at the shows. So we are making progress!
My purpose for this article is this. Educating yourself to further advance your career, your connections, your knowledge of the latest in the grooming world is so important. What I have observed is that some groomers have a job and others have a career. It’s important to be passionate about what you do because it will show. Not gaining further knowledge in your career can be stifling, and the job becomes a grind. I think we were really inspired from the show and had so much fun spending too much money at the trade show. We are back with new inspiration, new ideas and new products to create a beautiful job on your cat. The philosophy at City Kitty is to always be on the cutting edge in the grooming world, always strive to be better than last week, and to be an example of incredible customer service. I heard a speaker say, “We are in the customer service business, grooming is just a way we make a living.” I love learning from what I call, “crusty old groomers” who have been around and seen it all. They are savvy business people but still passionate about what they do. It doesn’t matter that they are dog people. I forgive them for that!