The association has established written tests and a hands-on exam that helps determine which members of the trade are "worthy of being called a certified master cat groomer, " Ms. Raisanen says.
Ms. Raisanen, a groomer in Fairview Park, Ohio, helped found the Professional Cat Groomers Association of America in 2008 to establish better education standards for the animal specialists who trim, clip, style and fluff felines.