Singapore cat groomer places third in elite Chinese grooming competition

Grooming a cat to look like a dragon helped Ms Aziemah Zakiyyah Azmi clinch third place in two categories at a top cat grooming competition in China.

She represented Singapore in the Universal Cat Association Cat Groomer Elite Competition held in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, on Aug 16. The invitation-only competition saw 12 contestants, including from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Ms Aziemah, a Singapore permanent resident in her 30s, placed third in the Elite Show Final Cat Grooming Competition and Creative Cat Grooming Competition.

"It was such an honour and proud moment for me to represent Singapore," said Ms Aziemah, who had previously taken part and placed in competitions in Singapore and Malaysia.

"The experience was unforgettable. It allowed me to observe other groomers' talents and skills," added the founder of Cats Garage, a cat salon in Ubi industrial estate.

To prepare for the event, Ms Aziemah spent a couple of weeks planning what style to execute and practising, focusing on grooming techniques and completing the styling within the two-hour competition duration.

Armed with Google Translate as she does not understand Mandarin, she flew to Shanghai alone a few days before the competition to get to know her cat model, a grey male munchkin named Food Bucket.

Ms Aziemah decided to give Food Bucket a dragon haircut because of its uniqueness.

A dragon cut is a creative grooming style that involves styling a pet's fur to look like the "scales" of a dragon. It includes shaving most of the body with a distinctive mohawk or a row of pointed triangles of fur down the spine.

"Being in China, I wanted to create something culturally meaningful and visually impactful, so I went with a dragon-inspired style," she said.

Ms Aziemah said the outcome of her dragon cut would have turned out to be even "more striking and dimensional" if her cat model were a British shorthair instead of the munchkin.

"I had requested a British shorthair for the competition, but received a munchkin cat, which made doing the dragon cut more challenging," said Ms Aziemah, who is married and has a five-year-old son.

British shorthairs have a double or triple coat, which offers more volume and texture, she explained - "perfect for sculpting dramatic styles like the dragon cut".

Nevertheless, coming in third for her first competition in China was memorable. Ms Aziemah took home two rosettes made up of bank notes totalling about $1,000 and two trophies.

"The prizes are great, but it's the experience, recognition and connections made that are priceless," she said, adding that watching her competitors gave her "a new perspective on technique, presentation and staying calm under pressure".

The top prizes went to veteran groomers from China, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

She added: "It reminded me that grooming is not just skills, but also continuous learning and being open to new ideas."

A passion for professional grooming

Becoming a cat groomer was an organic process. It started from a desire to care for her own cats that grew into a passion for professional grooming, said the feline lover, who has adopted nine furry companions over the years.

"I realised there was a real need for specialised cat grooming because cats have very different temperaments and needs compared with other pets," she said.

She set up Cats Garage at Oxley BizHub in 2018 because she saw the need for a grooming space dedicated to felines. "I wanted to build a space where cats can feel safe and comfortable, while pet parents could trust that their cats were being handled with proper care and understanding," she said.

She underwent numerous professional feline grooming courses, receiving formal training and earning certifications from academies across Asia, including instructors from Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore.

"My training covered everything from feline behaviour, handling, safety and breed standards to technical grooming skills like bathing, blow-drying, clipper work and advanced scissoring," said Ms Aziemah.

Apart from physical skills, passion and love for the animals are prerequisites for being a groomer.

"The most challenging aspect is handling cats with different temperaments. Some are calm and cooperative, but others can be very anxious, stressed or even aggressive during grooming," she said.

On average, Ms Aziemah and her staff of two full-timers and several part-timers groom about four to 10 cats on weekdays and 12 to 18 on weekends.

Most of their customers go to them for regular maintenance, with prices starting at $65 for basic grooming that includes nail clipping, ear cleaning, bathing, blow-drying and brushing.

They also get the occasional requests for creative styles, such as dragon, bear, lion and dinosaur cuts.

"Every cat reacts differently, so as a groomer, I need a lot of patience, gentleness and the ability to read the body language," said Ms Aziemah. She adds that the right approach is to keep the animal safe, calm and comfortable, while still completing the grooming effectively.

"Seeing the transformation after each grooming is always rewarding, but what truly makes me the happiest is when a nervous or aggressive cat eventually relaxes in my hands."