As a cat groomer, something has been bothering me for years and it seems to have taken on momentum of extreme proportions. There’s a dangerous mantra being perpetuated throughout the grooming industry. It’s an unfair and unjust view.
The groomer’s failure to properly handle a cat, which then results in a bite or other injury, should not progress to the stance of never trusting a cat. It’s ridiculous. As the (hopefully) trained professional, there are questions that need to be addressed. Why did the cat respond negatively? Does the groomer have the skills necessary to assess and correctly respond to the needs of the cat?
If I am injured when working with a cat, I know it was my fault. I can learn from that every time, if I’m open to accepting full responsibility for the welfare of my groom cats. It starts by respecting them as sentient individuals with the absolute right to feel their emotions and react to their environment.
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Respect is based on trust. When we respect someone or something, we trust in certain expectations. When cats trust their groomer, vet tech, kennel attendant, etc. to be kind, they will accept almost anything. It has to be a two-way street though.
I’m not living in a fantasy. I don’t believe every cat loves me and will calmly acquiesce to my wishes. I do believe that by showing respect for their perspectives and appreciation for their capabilities, I am able to trust cats.
Cats are clear in their intentions. Their communication style is straight-forward. It just requires understanding their language. Groomers can trust cats and have cats trust them. But they’re going to have to earn that mutual status.
A simple truth: You can trust that a typical cat does not in any way really want to fight you. They’re not coming into the grooming salon or vet clinic seeking out uncomfortable or threatening situations. They certainly don’t want to go up against anyone with such an overwhelming advantage over them.
They don’t want to, but they will. They are survivors of the most extreme version. Drama is their game. This defense strategy works on almost every perceived enemy. In a vulnerable position, they often subscribe to the ‘Be loud! Be bold! Be big! Be scary!’ philosophy. It’s pretty effective at invoking a fear response from others. Sadly, some pet professionals react with their own aggressive behavior. That leads down a dark road of fear and distrust.
Studies of felines show, other than territorial, mating, or play behavior, cats prefer to avoid physical confrontations. This is precisely why compassionate grooming works so well. It’s non-adversarial. The goal is to work with the cat, to build trust, to calm fears.
The never-trust-a-cat phrase says a lot more about the person saying it than any cat in question. It’s about blame rather than solutions. It’s ego instead of empathy. It’s a negative label instead of a concerted effort for advocacy. It’s easy to make the cats out to be the bad guys. The truth is they deserve so much more.
If you find yourself on the fence, I encourage you to go ahead and trust cats. Be smart when working with them. If a mistake is made, own it and make it better next time. It will be the difference you never imagined.
Cats Rule!!
Purrs,
