Majestic feline: Mazlan holding up the academy’s one-year-old red Maine Coon tabby cat named Aksara Dharma. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Turn your passion for cats into a lucrative career.
JM Academy by Just Pets Megastore cat grooming mentor Mazlan Chik Rus said cat grooming is not just a job, it’s a fulfilling career that blends a love for animals with practical skills, offering the potential for a lucrative future.
The pet care industry is thriving, he said, as more pet owners are willing to invest in good quality grooming services for their animals.
“Skilled cat groomers are in demand, and anyone with the right training can build a successful business or find stable employment in grooming salons,” he said.
Citing Standard Insights’ Consumer Report Malaysia 2023, Mazlan said 26.4% of Malaysians own multiple pets, with cats being the most popularly owned pet in the country, at 77.7%.
“There is a big market for cat groomers.
“As awareness about pet care and grooming increases, more pet owners are recognising the importance of regular grooming for their cats’ health and well-being. This drives demand for professional grooming services,” he said.
“A beginner can expect to earn a salary of about RM2,000 or more, while a junior groomer might make RM3,000 and above. Seniors can earn upwards of RM5,000.
“Groomers can also earn commission pay based on the number of cats they groom,” he said during the Star Education Fair 2024 talk at Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre here yesterday.
Pet grooming, said Mazlan, is a recognised skill under technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
“People typically associate TVET with the automotive, engineering and hospitality sectors, when it includes other important industries like cat grooming which can open up career opportunities for those who may not be interested in traditional technical fields.
“There are also opportunities to pursue advanced education in cat grooming, even up to the postgraduate level,” said Mazlan, who is also a Universal Cat Association (UCA) certified cat groomer.
JM Academy, he said, offers a Malaysian diploma in cat grooming, accredited by the Kuala Lumpur business and TVET institute (KLTVET) and an international C-Level cat grooming certificate recognised in countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and China.
He said students fresh out of secondary school and pet owners can enrol in full-time, part-time or express courses, as well as workshops, to master basic or advanced scissoring techniques.
“The part-time course is ideal for working adults with tight schedules, while full-time courses suit school leavers who can dedicate more time to their studies,” he said.
