I've had an idea

Cat grooming, no. You would be severely limiting yourself. Find a local school (here its tech/vocational schools that do it) and go for pet grooming. A large part of the clientele at a groomer bring in dogs - mostly thats because they need more grooming care than a cat that can keep themselves clean.

Also look up local groomers in your area. Talk to them about it and consider that you'll likely need to work for someone else for a bit as starting up you own business requires money, space, permit/licenses, etc. Plus having experience already would look good when/if you went in for a business loan (to rent/buy a shop and equipment). Doing it at home depends… check with the city and what regulations they have. You'd likely need extra insurance for it.

If you choose to become a pet groomer, can propely keep records and finances straight, and get plenty of business it would be a true career and not just a little extra money.

My town has just under 9k people, and the two groomers in town do well.

I can't find a cat groomer anyplace. I think it would be great...Do you live in a large populated area? If your in a ruraL area it probably wouldn't be such a good idea. Why not do a pet grooming course dogs and cats? That would be best..

Go in and talk to that groomer Monday. How many does she have working with her? If she's that busy she may need an extra hand - though understand if she doesn't have employees that would require her to get more/different insurance (here an employer needs to get workman's comp which costs a few thousand a year) just to have them.

If the school teaching it is a legit school you should be able to get some sort of financial aid. Other odd small school have it where you can get aid through them.

It might work where you are, because you have no cat groomers near you. Petco 5 minutes away from my home, and Pet Smart 10 minutes away from my home, both groom cats (just not on the weekends). The groomer we use is 15 minutes away, they mostly groom dogs but will do cats as well, and their very cheap. My father used to work with the man who owns the place, when they were teenagers. There are a ton of other groomers located near me that do mostly dogs, but will also take cats if you ask them even though they don't advertise it. I'd make sure those groomers around you don't do cats as well, that way you'll know your competition.

I read in the Wall Street Journal earlier this month about the Dog Waste disposal franchise business is expanding to offering cat litter box cleaning services. Now that's an idea! I don't know of anyone is willing to pay for the service by you though.

RuthyB, good luck on whatever you decide.
I have multiple dogs and we pick up the yard daily. No big deal.
If I had the money I would pay someone to clean the litterbox though! Seriously, that thing grosses me out and is my most hated chore. My wonderful DH does it a lot, so it isn't all on me but still, I don't like it. Love the cat, not that box.

Is that Pounds or Euros?

It doesn't seem that high for a course that can set you up in a position to make income.

How long is the course?

I would not go for cat grooming...they pretty much do that themselves with a BIT of help from the owners.

If you want to groom, I would talk to a local groomer and see if you can do an apprenticeship. Don't spend money on a class. There are many unscrupulous agencies taking advantage of people now-a-days.

I will guarantee you that a shelter or rescue organization would LOVE to have an independant groomer come in and help clean up some of our little guys! Good luck with that idea!!

Oh, this is supposed to be completely online? Thats a scam, sorry.
Pet grooming is one of those things that you have to learn hands on. You don't learn how to handle animals properly, fur types, and specific cuts without working with real dogs. If you're not careful you can cause serious injuries.

An actual school teaching it would only do a couple hours a day, a few days a week if you can manage that. But it's a real class that you must keep up with and groom some dogs during.

Pet grooming will be a 9 to 5 type job, you would have to hold regular business hours and if you had enough clients, you would have some busy days. Its not an easy job that you can do just when you feel like it.

If you want something more flexible, look into dog walking and pet sitting, though the latter takes some dedication, too, and it's better if you have some knowledge beyond just dog and cat care.

When i got made redundant i looked into dog grooming the local college was doing a course but it was fully booked for upto 18months! A college course is the only way to go not an online course you need hands on experience, it maybe an idea to put your name down now.
Many many local groomers here offer 30day intensive courses i did look into that and they are in the region of £1200 and you basically work in their shop. The college option was much cheaper and they put you into work placements and they also had their own grooming school in the campus but alas the waiting list. The job centre 'may' help towards the cost of the local groomers course its at the persons discretion i enquired and they were only prepared to give me £200 towards the cost.
I ended up starting my own dog walking business because in all honesty i have NO artistic flair haha and i'd probably give a dog a mohican or similar.
I pay £15 a month for public liability insurance which would be all you would need too as my insurance is tailored specifically for animal workers such as us, such as if they have any accidents in your care, if it runs out the door into the road etc etc

Due to the petrol increase over here AGAIN its proving so expensive for my business right now and my car is going in for work done to in on Tuesday and i'm seriously considering buying a little 50cc Scooter to use from now until autumn i have a full driving licence so i can drive one regardless. I was wondering seeing as you don't drive would you consider that? the Compulsive bike training course is in the region of £80 for the one day and you could pick up a 2nd hand scooter for less than £400. The job centre WOULD help you with the cost of your provisional licence and the cost of the CBT course.

You could then become a mobile groomer my dad has one for his yorkshire terrier rat thing she carries everything in a rucksack and uses his dining table!! this was what i originally wanted to do be mobile not confined to a shop.

My accounts are very easy i keep under the tax/vat banding per year for a sole trader, i mainly get paid in cash i have a business account everything gets paid in and paid out from there and then i take my salary its easy. You should have a local chamber of commerce that would give you access to an accountant for upto 12months free to put you on the road so to speak.

Good luck i hope i've been of some help.

oh the online courses are pretty much a waste of money i know alot of dog walkers that take basic animal first aid online for instance i looked into it to see if it would aid my business and to be honest i wouldn't waste my money it was very poor. I've shown dogs for many years and i like to think i've got a good common sense about me and can do basic first aid without the need of a piece of paper which isn't worth the money.

That sounds extremely lacking. And no offense, but I wouldn't someone near my pets with clippers or scissors that is just learning and has no professional overlooking and there to help.
I don't think you would get the best training from this, either. You'd get short changed without someone right there at hand to help you.

tillymoo has some wonderful advice, and I suggest that maybe you two should further PM back and forth if you want to go her route. The tax and financial advice is very important.

Good luck getting the scooter tillymoo, post a picture of it if get one you're proud of.

I hope they can help. If not with this, maybe you can find something else you would like to do? I wish I had all the assistance around here that you do - I want to go back to school and will have to pay my own way completely (not wanting more debt makes me hesitant ). So take advantage of it and do your best. Good luck.

Maybe you could look into walking and sitting in the meantime to help make some extra money for this?

Ruthy you have to be EXTEMELY pushy with the job centre and really sell your idea that will lead you to full-time employment. They do pay for things like a months bus fares (so i see no reason why they would not pay for a CBT course) an enhanced disclosure, provisonal licence costs etc etc you just have to be pushy in asking for it and really sell your idea.

Another sneaky way to bypass the college waiting list which is what i found out and very nearly accepted it if the dog walking didn't take off (thankfully it did) the college often hold very short courses like back to work training they are generally only 6 weeks long 2 afternoons a week, they help you with interview techniques, brush up on your cv etc now at some point during the 6 weeks you have a few tutor one to ones i explained i wanted to go to college to do dog grooming but i couldn't get a place and voila she got me a place to start that spring (which at the time was only 8weeks away) so that was very handy to know

Make sure you do your research and look into every pet grooming business in your area to see what they are lacking and what you could provide better, check their prices monthly you have to stay competitive and have special offers. Check local papers as often smaller pet groomers advertise through there and email them for a price list.

If i can help just msg me.

Sarah

Hmm, what sort of skills do you have with paper work and computer skills? I would think your past experience would lend itself to you being to do some sort of receptionist job in that field. (At least to pay bills for a bit) There's various jobs that you could do with or to help children, but would require more schooling.

Sitting would be more for in their homes. Think of it from your point of view, if you and your family needed to leave for the weekend the cats would be at home. Cats tend to dislike being boarded at a vet or kennel so cat owners have to find someone who knows cats and will tend the litter box. Again, you need a ride, though.
You've cared for the elderly for years - Use references from that to sell you as a trustworthy caring individual.

Good luck with it all. You should have plenty of skills and a decent work history to aid you in both starting up a small business of your own and moving further career wise.

I'm in the U.S., so I realize things are different. I'm in the Chicago area, and there is a need for cat groomers. People with long haired cats, some people, use them regularly. I know a "master cat groomer" because she volunteers at my shelter, when she can, to help with the long haired cats there. She told me there are only 5 of them with her qualifications in Illinois (a very populated state). I googled "master cat groomers" and found the certification organization. It does look very involved and expensive to get that qualification.

That being said, this woman is very accomplished, and very busy with her own business. She goes to people's homes, always, to do the service. She drives a station wagon or small van to carry her equipment. I don't know what she charges.

Personally, I would be very skeptical of learning this kind of skill on line. I think you need a hands on, in person, teacher - with lots of experience.

Doggy day care centers are all the rage these days in the U.S. and are popping up all over. The pet sitter business I use is building one now. They will also do cat boarding.

Recently, when one of my cats had to go in for teeth surgery, and the vet's would only do it on Friday, I was thinking that there needs to be people willing to take one's animals in to the vet when the owners are too busy with work to do it.

Also, there is pet sitting/dog walking, of course. I know someone who pays $40 a day for her dogs to be "walked!" All they actually do is let them out into the owners dog run for about 20 minutes. If this seems steep, it is. This is happening in one of the most affluent suburbs of Chicago (Wilmette).

Hope you figure it out. I'm retiring in a couple years, I think, and am trying myself to figure out some part-time work that will be worth my while, and I'd enjoy. So I am brainstorming ideas for myself. I may consider pet sitting. Only thing is, I'm too timid about strange dogs to care for them, and that may disqualify myself for that line of work.

Robin