MUST-HAVES for Cat Grooming

by Danelle German

The following list is what I consider my basic “must--have” list of equipment, tools
and product for grooming cats. Without these things it will be quite difficult, if not
impossible, to turn out quality grooms in as safe a manner as possible.

ITEM: AVERAGE COST*:

1. Nail trimmers $6
2. Air Muzzle $80
3. Table $90
4. Clippers $350
5. Tub, hose, spray nozzle $259
6. Shampoo $110
7. Towels $72
8. Alcohol/saline/cotton balls $50
9. Styptic powder $5
10. Dryer $138
11. Combs $37
12. De--shed tool $37
13. Face scissors $18
14. Finishing spray $10
15. Flea spray $11
16. Disinfectant and other cleaning supplies $150
17. Client cards $12

Total: $1285

In addition, some marketing of the business will be required. Basic marketing

components would be:

18. Logo/brand design $100

19. Business cards $28
20. URL/webhosting $15
21. Website construction w/ content $381
22. Customer brochures $20
23. Flip Charts (“Groom Styles” and “Catastrophe”) $20
Notes on items listed above:
1. Should be cat-sized. I prefer non-“guillotine” style

2. What are your hands worth? Air Muzzle vs. other muzzles or an e-collar. The Air
Muzzle provides 100% protection while on a cat’s head. An e-collar does not. What
level of protection do you prefer?

Note: there is a correct way to apply the Air Muzzle. It’s not hard, but if done incorrectly,
it can be removed and/or broken by the cat hurling it across the room. Once you know
the proper technique to introduce the Air Muzzle to an aggressive cat and secure it in
place properly it is WELL worth the investment. I remember grooming without it –
before it was invented. The Air Muzzle has been a game changer! It allows for 100%
solo grooming vs. needing assistance as well as turning a cat away vs. getting the groom
done. (For demonstrations on how to use correctly, get the Complete Cat Groomer
Training Syllabus.)

3. Slick table top surfaces are better for cats. (See “Why This and Not This?” publication
in Member Benefits online course.) We ordered our stainless steel tables from a
restaurant supply company. They are 24”x36”.

4. This cost figures allows for starting out with the Wahl KM10 and the Wahl Bravura.
Not all clippers are created equal when it comes to shaving cats. I use these because they
work and they work well, meaning I can get maximum clipping out of a single stroke, I
can get a super smooth finish with crispy lines, and I can remove the toughest of pelted
mats. Time is money. Cats have a limit. Work fast, work hard, and make it look awesome
in the end.

So why two clippers to start with? The KM10 will go through the toughest of mat/pelt
messes. The Bravura will give you the tight and neat lines and super smooth, velvety
finish. And…..if one should break or stop working while you are in the middle of a busy
cat grooming day, you have a back up. I learned the value of this the hard way (i.e. the
expensive way)!

5. I started with a utility tub because it was originally intended for my show cats alone.
However, I learned I could groom many a cat in it. A basic utility tub was less than $100
back then. I just did a quick Google search and found Lowes has one for
$109. Is it my preference? No. But will it do? Sure. Another option, your existing dog tub
with some grates to elevate. Best option of all: the Forever Stainless Mini Tub. But you
could save that upgrade for later.

http://www.foreverstainlesssteel.com/pdf/FSS_SPECIALTY_BATHING_TUBS.pdf

Do NOT get a spray nozzle with a rubber hose! It will be a sprinkler system after the first
angry cat gets through with it. (Another thing I learned the hard way.) Also, make sure
your spray nozzle has a hand control. I’ve noticed that in other countries (not the US) it
seems to be the norm to have nozzles with the control stuck somewhere on the tub itself
rather than as part of the nozzle. This is a very bad idea for cat grooming! I have watered
down myself, seminar attendees, an expensive sound system, and an entire stage before.
Trust me, get a sprayer with a hand control on it. The squeeze style is best. (For more on
this read “Why This and Not This?” in Member Benefits online course.)

6. Chubbs Bars for sure. I invented them so of course they work great on cats (and dogs!)
and they are safe to use. Chubbs Bars are also quite economical. To get this cost figure, I
allotted 1 lb of Chubbs Bars to start with. These 4 bars should allow for approximately 40
cat baths. In addition, pricing allows for 1 gal Lambert Kay Fresh N’ Clean flea shampoo
and 1 gal of Chlorhexidine shampoo.

7. One dozen basic bath towels for $6 each will get you started.

8. For ears and eyes. Self explanatory. Don’t use an ear cleaner that leaves a waxy or
greasy residue, for obvious reasons.

9. In case you quick a nail or nick a nipple. Yes, it does happen despite our best
efforts for it not to happen.

10. I priced this for a Metro AirForce Commander 2-speed because it’s what I used back
in my cat show days. It’s economical, compact, lightweight and works well. It is semi-
loud. You can start with this and upgrade later if you’re on a tight budget.

11. I priced this for the basic 7.5” fine/course greyhound plus the Chris Christensen face/
feet comb. Both are an absolute must for good cat grooming. Do not get a face/feet comb
knock-off by a lesser brand because there truly is a difference. You will end up throwing
away the lesser brand once you use the CC and find that it actually works while the other
one just pretended that it worked. Spend the $32 and get it right the first time.

12. You can start with a Furminator or something of that sort. Later, an upgrade to the
Romani Rake-n-Vac set is a must if you want to save loads of time and not have to clean
up the static-y mess of cat hair everywhere. Time is money.

13. I’ve tried my fair share of face scissors (4” blunt tips only) and most are less than
stellar. Like the cheap face/feet combs, they only pretend to cut cat hair. If you want
your Persian, Zot, and Himi faces looking their finest, get good scissors. The best I ever
found was a scissor I picked up at a gift shop in Switzerland. If I could find more I’d get
them and sell them. One company tried several times to supply us with face scissors,
but none of them ever worked well. I’ll keep looking for those Swiss scissors. In the
meantime, PetEdge has the best around.

14. Cat-a-tonic of course! Like Chubbs Bars, this is my own private label product,
manufactured by ShowSeason just for us. So yes, it works great, and yes, it’s
wonderful! Shine, body, and YUM! (I use this on myself sometimes.)
15. Get something labeled as safe for cats/kittens that you can use next time a flea
infestation is brought into your grooming environment.

16. So you can clean.

17. Record keeping the inexpensive way and especially for felines, courtesy of the
NCGI. Plan to upgrade to a software or online client management system before you
have 100 clients unless you absolutely love data entry.

18. Hire a pro unless you are an artist. Get feedback from others before deciding on a
design. The cost for this work will depend upon how expensive your designer is, how
well you can communicate what you want the first time around, and how picky you
ultimately are. I’ve got logos that cost me 50 bucks.

19. You can find some great deals online. I priced this for 1000 qty 1-sided business
cards.

20. You can do this yourself or hire a pro.

21. Definitely hire a pro! You need a fabulous website and you need it to be at the top
of a Google search for relevant terms otherwise it’s a waste of money. Unless you are
a computer geek, you do not know how to do this well. During the time it takes you to
do this well you could be grooming cats at $100 or more per hour.

The content for your website can be purchased from the NCGI for under $100 if you are a
member. ($135 for non--members.) This is factored into the price quoted here, along with
the actual set up of the website by our recommended pro.

We recommend hiring JetStream Design for your website creation. I have partnered with
JetStream Design to offer a private online workshop to create a BrandScript using the
methods of Donald Miller’s Building a StoryBrand framework. This takes the guesswork
out of what to put on your website and how to lay it all out. It also gets you a new website
that involves only 2 hours of your time! During the private 2-hour online workshop, I
work with you to create your own business BrandScript which can then be delivered to
JetStream for the creation of your website. It really is that easy (and fast!).

To get your website done well and in record time, here’s what you do:

1. Schedule your private session
2. Show up (online) at the session
3. Wait 2 weeks for your new site to be up and running!

22. Marketing your business is essential as is dispelling all the myths out
there that surround cats and how they groom themselves. This is why the NCGI has
brought you a variety of really nice customer brochures (9 total, at the time of writing
this). I priced this for 2 separate 50Pks (you choose) to get you started.
 23. Another great marketing and communication tool brought to you by the NCGI – our
two flip charts. One covers grooming styles for cats, the other what happens when cats
aren’t groomed on a regular basis by a pro. Both flip charts contain
quality photos. At 20 bucks, these marketing tools can pay for themselves quite
easily after just a single cat groom.

PS. If you don’t know how to groom cats at all or are struggling with getting beautiful results,
working solo, finishing every cat groom, and getting clients on a 4-6 week schedule then you
definitely need the Complete Cat Groomer Training Syllabus! Get that here.

*Average costs listed are based on current pricing found online when this article was written. Costs will
vary.