How to learn to groom cats

I've been a life long "servant" to cats. I am not afraid of them. They can bite and scratch me ... and I won't flinch too much.

Maybe it is because I adopted a little bit of a vicious (but rather affectionate) adult cat from the AWL. She doesn't like getting her nails clipped. The older cat is used to it now however he was also difficult when I first "inherited" him (got him when he was 3.. he is now 13). I heal pretty well from scratches and generally know how to "handle" cats.

I've seen how people will not want to do cats because of how "difficult" they can be to bath and groom (incl. nail clipping). Yes, most do require some form of sedation however it is also in how they are handled IMO (from my experiences). Even with my little bit vicious cat I can groom her well enough, it's just her nails and she refuses to let anyone touch her tummy (tho' I know why).

I realise as a groomer the majority of animals I will groom WILL be of the dog variety (thus I am being trained currently to groom dogs) however I would also like to be one of the few (as I'm guessing it is few) groomers "out there" that will welcome cats...... and because my training is limited at present to JUST dogs...

HOW do I go about learning to groom a cat? I know how to bath. I know how to clip their nails. However I am eager to learn how to groom long haired cats for summer season (or just to help keep matting at bay in medium-long haired cats)?

Books? DVDs? Websites? YouTube?

you might find something useful here ....

http://nationalcatgroomers.com/

http://nationalcatgroomers.com/videos.html

Ok, some of the things I have learnt over the years. I use a ten blade on cats to remove the mats, go very slow and carefully and stretch the skin as you go, they are very easy to cut (especially their little nipples, always protect them with your finger or you WILL make them bleed). If the mats are really bad in places I will use a 40, I'd rather it was shorter than cut the skin, its gonna grow back. On cats that are not too bad, just matted on belly and bottom, I just clip the bits necessary and then comb the rest out with a Grip Soft cat comb. I love this comb for cats, it easily removes the dead coat where my usual comb will just glide through and remove nothing and its amazing just how much dead hair cats have, much more than dogs. If you are bathing cats be careful to ensure you are using products that are labelled as safe for use on cats. Cats are quite sensitive and can be poisoned by some shampoos. If you are bathing a cat its a good idea to have a bucket of fresh water on standby in case of any toxic reaction. You need to immediately dunk the cat in the bucket to remove the offending product quickly. This can be a life and death situation. Fidos everyday shampoo is safe for cats and is what I use. Cat grooming is not for the faint hearted, cats will bite and scratch and if they get you, especially in a joint, you need to immediately seek medical care, dont just think it will be ok. Cat bites can put you off work, can give you blood poisoning and can KILL YOU. I groom lots of cats and have had some bad injuries in the past and my sister has been put in hospital from a bite. I now have them all sedated. There is no stress for them, they go to sleep, wake up and go home. Yes there are good cats, just be very careful.

Hi, I am a pet groomer, I have done a cert IV in companion animal services in victoria
but there are better courses in other states. as to grooming cats, I prefer to groom
cats to dogs, but I cannot find a course in Australia. happy to chat with you
I am currently setting up my own cat grooming business, \
carolyn