Taking her time, Christine Haldeman rigorously trimmed Olivia, a 16-year-old home longhair cat who was extremely peaceable regardless of the noisy clipper.
“She’s tremendous well-behaved. The noises scare them generally, so I begin gradual,” Haldeman mentioned. “Olivia, I’ve taken care of over eight years so she’s very good to us.”
“She will get a lion lower to forestall matting. There’s extra hair on her head and legs. That’s the size the proprietor chooses,” mentioned Haldeman, 44, of Downers Grove.
Olivia was the primary consumer at 10 a.m. on a latest Tuesday at Completely satisfied Cat Grooming, which opened July 22 at 136 N. Cass Ave. in Westmont.
Whereas it’s a brand new location, Haldeman has been within the enterprise since April 2016. That’s when she purchased a cell grooming enterprise from a girl who was shifting out of state.
“I used to be a cell groomer, drove a van round. Then I had an accident, totaled the van in March of 2023,” she mentioned.
Groomers are restricted when cell due to driving time between shoppers, together with unpredictable Chicago site visitors and climate, Haldeman mentioned.
“At first I used to be going to get one other van after which determined to go brick-and-mortar,” she mentioned.
To this point, enterprise has been regular. Being in downtown Westmont helps. Shoppers are close by or from as distant as south suburban Lansing and Frankfort.
“There’s not lots of people who do cat grooming,” she mentioned. “It’s busy. I’m at all times busy. I attempt to do six (cats) a day, 25 to 30 every week.”
Cats might be nervous or scared when getting trimmed and might chew or claw, Haldeman mentioned.
“You attempt to maintain them. Worst case, I inform the proprietor they’ve to speak to their vet about sedating,” mentioned Haldeman, who has few scars.
“I inform the proprietor, it’s not a foul cat. It’s a great cat that will get scared,” she mentioned.
Jessica Willer, 38, of Darien, assists Haldeman when wanted.
“I’m not a groomer. I don’t understand how she does it. It’s superb,” mentioned Willer, who wears lengthy sleeves at work simply in case a cat lashes out.
Requested for favourite tales, Haldeman mentioned, “Those who make me proud are the cats which are very nervous, you assume you’re not going to the touch them and I get by means of to them and might work with them.”
“However it’s a must to be so cautious. Cats can get wired, have respiratory issues,” she mentioned. “My mother’s favourite half is that I take advantage of heat towels. The cats find it irresistible.”
Her mom, Shirley Schultz, 79, of Burr Ridge usually helps with cleansing at Completely satisfied Cat Grooming.
“Very pleased with her. She did this all on her personal. I’m glad she’s brick-and-mortar. When she had the truck, there’s dangerous climate,” Schultz mentioned.
It takes Haldeman, an authorized feline grasp groomer with the Nationwide Cat Groomers Institute, about 90 minutes to groom a cat.
“I don’t assume each cat must be groomed. However a whole lot of homeowners do it for shedding. A lion lower will develop out in three to 4 months. Some are right here each six to eight weeks,” she mentioned.
She trims the cat, provides it a shower after which provides the ultimate lower as a result of clear hair is simpler to chop.
Trimming all these felines leaves behind a whole lot of fur. No worries. She sells extra fur to an organization that makes use of it to make allergy serum.
After work, Haldeman is greeted by three cats within the residence she shares with husband Rob.
There’s a home quick hair named Sammie who she took in after its first and second proprietor handed away; Leroy, a home longhair who was hit by a automotive; and Gilly, the pet of a consumer who additionally died.
“I’m such a sucker for outdated animals,” she mentioned with fun.
Completely satisfied Cat Grooming hours are 9 a.m. to five p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 9 a.m. to three p.m. Saturday; and by appointment solely on Wednesday. For extra data, name 630-432-1799 or go to www.HappyCatGrooming.com
