Neon pink outline of a stylized cat in a relaxed pose against a black background.

About Me

Curator to Cat Groomer

The career progression from being a Natural Sciences Museum Curator for the last 21 years to becoming a professional cat groomer doesn't seem likely, but…there’s a story behind it!

A woman with pink hair playfully mimicking the wide open mouth of a lion's head statue next to her, both appearing to roar

A woman with pink hair wearing a pirate hat, holding a vinyl record with a skull and crossbones design, sitting near a model

A woman with short pink hair smiling at the camera in an elevator, standing next to a life-sized stuffed bear exhibit.

I was introduced to the wonderful world of cats 12 years ago when we welcomed our British Blue Shorthair kitten, Crusoe into our lives. I'd always loved animals and had grown up around dogs, had my own guinea pigs, rabbits, birds and fish but never owned a cat. Little did I know back then where this tiny bundle of blue fluff would lead me!

A year later and Ahab, a silver spotted BSH kitten joined us and over the next few years Dantes, a black BSH and Cody my little ginger rescue kitten completed the family. All our cats were short haired and never seemed to need much in the way of grooming. All that changed when we adopted Monty the Norwegian Forest cat in 2020! He was a huge floofball with attitude and luckily he looked after himself pretty well. Sadly Monty passed away after 8 amazing months with him.

Two cats cuddling inside a woven basket, a black cat with glowing yellow eyes and a cream-colored kitten

Two grey cats with bold stripes, one sleeping and the other alert, lounging on a tablecloth with a pear design

A fluffy tabby cat with striking amber eyes stretching its paw towards the camera, lying on a paisley-patterned blue blanket

I have been volunteering with Yarm Cat Rescue since 2015 and over the years I was lucky enough to meet many wonderful kitties, learn loads more about cats and support this amazing rescue with their work.

One day, a Chinchilla Persian appeared at the rescue. We developed a bond and I was smitten! And, after a lot of persuasion, it was agreed that we could give her a home.

Her coat really needed some attention and I thought I could handle it…. Nope, a groomer was definitely needed! I looked around locally and soon realised that specialist cat grooming wasn't really a thing in my local area.

A white Persian cat looking slightly displeased next to a pink grooming brush and some tufts of fur on a grey surface

During my research I found out about the Cat Grooming School based in London and kept going back to their website many times to find out more. I was intrigued. I had always wondered what I would do if I needed a career change as I’d been at the museum for so long. With encouragement from my husband and family I decided to take the plunge and try out the school’s Foundation Grooming course. I’m pretty much a home bird so going to the Big Smoke on my own was quite a big deal for me!

From the very beginning it was an amazing experience - I was well and truly thrown in at the deep end but I was hooked! My wonderful tutor encouraged me to go to the next level and a month later I completed the Intermediate Grooming course.

After that, one thing led to another and between March and August 2022, I completed the school's Advanced and Master Grooming courses.

It was a gruelling few months of long journeys, dodgy hotels, battling London traffic and an extreme heatwave! I had my fair share of nasty injuries, and learnt many lessons the hard way! The hands on experience I gained was invaluable though and I wouldn't have done it any other way. The ladies at the school were so supportive and put me through my paces but it was definitely worth it.

A woman with bright pink hair and matching scrubs smiling as she grooms a fluffy cream-colored cat on a black table.

A woman with pink hair, smiling and holding two professional grooming certificates, standing in an office

A woman with bright pink hair taking a selfie in a grooming salon, wearing a black tunic and gloves, standing next to a groom

After I graduated as a Master Cat Groomer in August 2022, I set up CutieCatz Grooming, working alongside my job at the museum and doing mobile visits and working every other Sunday from Ingleby Pet Supplies salon.

By January 2023 I had my own bespoke grooming salon on order from Wet Pets Conversions and after its arrival in May I was set up and ready to go! Fast forward to June 2023 and I made the huge decision to go full time with CutieCatz and left the museum world behind.

A small grey and pink garden shed being lifted by a crane over a house, against a cloudy sky backdrop.

Two cats in a grooming salon, one orange and one grey, exploring a room with a pink floor, grooming table

What a journey! It’s been amazing so far and I can’t believe what I’ve achieved in such a short time. I'm truly blessed to have had such love and non-stop support from my family and friends who have been with me every step of the way. Its onwards and upwards from here!

My Furbabies

A British Shorthair cat with striking yellow eyes crouched among vibrant purple leaves, blending into the colourful garden

Crusoe

A grey tabby cat with bold stripes and captivating yellow eyes, lounging comfortably on a blue blanket

Ahab

Black cat with bright yellow eyes resting indoors

Dantes

A light orange tabby cat with piercing green eyes, sitting behind a vibrant cluster of red geranium flowers, with a blurred g

Cody

Close-up of a majestic grey tabby cat with striking green eyes and a serious expression, standing outdoors

Monty

now sleeping

fluffy white Persian cat with striking grey-blue eyes, resting on a pillow with the phrase 'TIME TO RELAX' in the background