Meet your cat groomers Allie & Ian
My Story
The concept of pet grooming is still mostly unheard of in my home country. I myself learned about the existence of a pet grooming career when I just graduated college with a degree in finance. It turned out that I was not made for an office job and the idea of closely working with animals intrigued me and, being young and adventurous, I obtained a visa and flew to New York to study English and try and become a professional pet groomer.
And my dream came true! I’ve been professionally grooming pets since my apprenticeship in 2012, and had worked as a pet stylist practically in all boroughs of New York City.
Hi, I’m Allie Akhmarova! I come from Kazakhstan, a post Soviet country in Central Asia. I have always loved animals and grew up in an animal friendly family.
In May 2017 I took a leap forward by quitting my salon job and transitioning to providing in-home pet grooming service in Manhattan on a full time basis. And it has proved to be one of the best decisions I ever made in my grooming career! I strongly believe that pets get the best grooming experience one-on-one with a groomer at the comfort of their own home. I get to know and get attached to them and they respond with love and trust.
In 2021 I got a new kitten in addition to my senior tortoiseshell domestic shorthair cat Musya. His name is Zaffyr, he is an ebony spotted tabby Oriental Shorthair and I absolutely adore him. He is the most loving, playful, elegant and intelligent kitty.
Adding a new feline member to my little family has sparked my interest in felines all over again. And if prior to that I offered my services to both cats and dogs, at that moment of my life I decided to move my focus to feline grooming. I believe that cats are magnificent and intriguing creatures and they can and should look and feel gorgeous. And I’m very proud to offer the highest quality care.
In September 2021 I enrolled at the National Cat Grooming Institute (NCGI) and began to study materials and traveling to New Jersey for private practice with Lynn Paollilo. She’s a certifier for NCGI, instructor, speaker, who owns and operates a successful feline-exclusive salon & cat boarding called Cat Naps Cattery.
By August 2022 I have successfully passed nine exams, four written and five practical, thus becoming a Certified Feline Master Groomer, the only one residing and operating in New York City metro area at that time.
Written exams included:
Temperament & Handling
Breeds, Colors & Genetics
Anatomy & Health
Business Management
Practical exams covered:
Shorthaired Full Coat Groom (includes a de-shed and nail cap application)
Longhaired Full Coat Groom (includes a sanitary clip, half-belly shave and full belly shave)
Lion Cut – Standard
Lion Cut – Variation
Comb Cut (includes a face trim and toe tuft trim).
In 2024 I and my fiance Ian made my dream of living in Florida come true and we moved to Cape Coral that fall. It was not an easy decision as I managed to build wonderful and trusting relationships with my valued clients and their feline and canine companions.
Together I and Ian provide the highest quality house call cat grooming service in Lee and Collier County. We service Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs and Naples. We are planning to buy a mobile van in the future to give our clients and their beloved felines the best experience.
Allie
I was born and raised in a small town called Liberty two hours away from New York City.
Ever since I was a kid I loved animals, especially cats and dogs. In my youth I used to keep ferrets, lizards, salamanders, snakes, hermit crabs, turtles and iguanas. My first job was working on a farm where I tended to horses, sheep, cows, chickens and pigs. Right now I only have one pet – a rescue dog named Freckles.
When I met Allie I didn’t even know cat grooming was a thing. It intrigued me to say the least. At this point I was working at Pepsico manufacturing facility. I had worked hard to get the position I had and enjoyed my office job as a crewing coordinator being in charge of over eighty employees.
As Allie and I got to know each other more we talked about moving out of state. She talked about Florida a lot and it had always been her dream to move here. Eventually we decided to leave New York state together. I quit my office job and we embarked on our journey to the sunshine state.
Right now I’m studying for National Cat Groomers Institute exams in order to become a Certified Feline Master Groomer like Allie. I’m already proficient in handling, bathing and blow drying cats.
I love the fact that I and Allie both love animals and I give just as much effort as she does to make sure every kitty gets the proper care they need to look and feel their best.
Why cats need professional grooming
It is somehow believed that cats groom themselves. But it’s a myth and the only thing they do is lick themselves. They don’t comb out tangles, or shave, or bathe themselves. Cats do get dirty, and smelly, and greasy, and matted. That’s why professional cat groomers exist.
Domestic cats absolutely need to get groomed on a regular basis. It is a fact. They have skin, they have hair. Imagine not taking a shower for years, how would that feel. Gross, right?
Cats don’t like water, but so do the majority of the dogs and they still get groomed. Cats should not be an exception. They deserve to look and feel their best.
And that’s what we are trained to do. We can recognize a cat’s personality when we first meet them and can handle most types of cats – shy, compliant, mildly aggressive. The exception is highly aggressive felines which we recommend to get groomed under sedation at the veterinary office to prevent stress and high possibility of an injury.
Why choose in-home grooming for your cat?
Benefits of house call cat grooming comparing to bringing them to a pet salon:
No stress of traveling for your cat
It is more convenient – we basically bring a salon to your home
Your kitty is not spending hours at the salon
We provide personalized grooming for one cat at a time
When we are finished your cat will go back to its usual activities right away
No other dogs or cats present, no foreign smells and noises
No risk of catching diseases or parasites from other animals
We disinfect equipment between each household so there’s no to minimal risk of disease transmission