About Me:

I am a professional Pet Groomer. I have been grooming for 28 years. This Blog is a kind of diary of my work. I wish I had started years ago, writing some of the experiences I have had while grooming. Most days are fun, some can be sad, some can be just down right crazy. If you are a pet owner and come across this blog, I hope it helps you understand how your pet is groomed. If you are a Pet Groomer, I hope you can relate to some of the stories. Maybe even learn a grooming tip or can leave a friendly grooming tip for me. There is always something to learn, no matter how long you have been grooming.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Kitty Makeover

I had a Maine Coon cat in for a bath and brushout the other day.

I was excited to try out the Chubbs Bar on this cat.





This kitty was a perfect candidate for trying out the Chubbs Bar.

This kitty needed a de-grease bath.











 He was not matted, but his hair was greasy and tacky.







 This is an older kitty, and it will be his first bath.

I was not sure what to expect when I put him in the tub.

He was talking up a storm.

I like to put the cats in the tub and turn the water on low and away from them, so that they can get used to the sound of the water before I start to wet them down.




 While the water temperature was regulating, I was petting the cat and talking to him.

By now he had calmed down and stopped talking.

I like to start wetting them by getting my hand wet and petting them with my wet hand, slowly getting the hair wet.

It is my way to get the cat ready for the water and ease himm into getting wet.







I don't wet the entire cat at one time.

I wet the back and start to soap it up.

Then I add a little more water and soap up another area.








 I like to keep the water running on low so that I don't startle the cat each time I want to put water on him to spread the shampoo.









 I also put the hose nozzle right up against the cat so that he is not startled by the spray of the water.








When rinsing the face, I fold the ears down with my fingers to keep water from getting in them.






 I rinsed off about 80% of the shampoo and then soaped him up a second time with a medicated shampoo.

He was doing really great.




Next I wrapped him in a towel and started to HV dry him.

I started with the dryer on low and at the back leg to let him get used to the dryer blowing on him.

Some one had been drying a dog while I was bathing him, so he was already used to the sound of the big dryer.









He did really great with the dryer, even allowing me to use it around his head and face.









 He did so good with the HV dryer that I was able to get him 95% dry with the big dryer.







I finished drying him with my hand dryer.







His owner did not want anything trimmed on him.







I was very pleased with the results of the Chubbs Bar on this cats coat.








 The Chubbs Bar did a great job de-greasing the coat.

 This cat was very clean.

He was done start to finish in just under an hour.









He had absolutely no desire to look at me every time I tried to take a picture.

He really looks pissed doesn't he? lol



Well, if he was, he certainly didn't act like it, and behaved like a gentleman.

No fighting.
No hissing.
No twitching tail.
No laid back ears.

Just a grumpy, sweet face. :)



4 comments:

  1. Hi Lisa, I love your blog and the way you approach grooming. I was hoping you may be able to give me some advice. I tried to groom a 7 month spoodle yesterday. It was her first grooming. She was very bouncy and scared of the clippers. I managed to get her used to the sound of the clippers and she licked some peanut butter of the clipper handle but whenever I actually went to pick up the clippers to groom her she was determined to jump off the table. She keep trying to jump out of the tub when I bathed her too. I am a very newbie groomer and would appreciate some tips! I tried calming her down but she hardly stops moving and when I held her face to clip she shook her head from side to side violently. I don't want her to get traumatised but to realise that grooming isn't bad.
    Thanks,
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Beth!
      I hope you do not mind, but I would like to answer your comment in my next post. Hopefully either tonight or tomorrow. :)
      Lisa, MFF

      Delete
  2. I groom a few maine coons and I find that they are often greasy. Luckily, they also usually have a good temperament like this guy. I think im going to have to look into trying these shampoo bars!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My mother was a cat breeder, she owned Mainely Rags in Maine and bred Ragdolls and Norwegian Forest Cats. The best shampoo you can use to degrease a cat is Dawn dish soap. And then a vinegar rinse. The Dawn wont hurt them at all and the vinegar really makes sure all grease is gone. Cat's cannot be greasy when they are being shown and a lot of breeders do this. I don't reccomend it for every day use but before a show it works great.

    ReplyDelete