Skip to main content
Purrfect Mail· real mail for cat people
For Professionals3 min read

Quick Cat Grooming Intake Form: The 7-Question Version for Busy Groomers

Cat Grooming Directory Team

462
Words
2
Sections
2
Key Tips
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Share

Not every appointment needs a full consultation. Sometimes you just need the essentials — fast, clean, and on one page.

This is the short version of our complete consultation checklist. Print a stack, keep them at your station, and fill one out before every cat hits the table.

"The more we know, the better we can keep your cat safe, comfortable, and only mildly offended."


Quick Intake Form

Date: _______________    Groomer: _______________


1. Who is the cat?

  • Owner: _______________
  • Cat's name: _______________
  • Breed: _______________    Age: _____    Weight: _____
  • Coat type: Short / Medium / Long / Curly / Hairless

2. What is the coat doing?

  • ☐ Coat looks healthy
  • ☐ Matting present — Location: _______________
  • ☐ Greasy, dull, or flaky
  • ☐ Excessive shedding
  • ☐ Other: _______________

3. How does the cat behave?

  • ☐ Calm and cooperative
  • ☐ Shy but manageable
  • ☐ Anxious or fearful
  • ☐ Reactive — bites/scratches when handled
  • ☐ Unknown — first visit
  • Sensitive areas: Paws / Belly / Tail / Ears / Face / None known

4. Any health issues?

  • ☐ None known
  • ☐ Arthritis or mobility issues
  • ☐ Skin condition or allergies
  • ☐ Current medications: _______________
  • ☐ Lumps, sores, or areas to avoid: _______________
  • ☐ Dental pain suspected

5. Any matting or sensitive areas?

  • ☐ No matting
  • ☐ Light tangles — Location: _______________
  • ☐ Moderate mats — Location: _______________
  • ☐ Severe matting — may need split session or shave
  • Skin sensitivity: _______________

6. What does the owner want done?

  • ☐ Full groom    ☐ Brush-out    ☐ Bath
  • ☐ Nail trim    ☐ Sanitary trim    ☐ Ear cleaning
  • ☐ De-shedding    ☐ Mat removal    ☐ Lion cut
  • ☐ Other: _______________

7. Is this safe to complete today?

  • ☐ Yes — proceed as planned
  • ☐ Yes — with extra time or modified approach
  • ☐ Split session recommended
  • ☐ Gabapentin needed for next visit
  • ☐ Vet referral recommended
  • ☐ Stop early if cat escalates past: _______________

Groomer notes: _______________________________________________

Time estimate: _____ min    Rebooking recommended: _____ weeks


Print This Form

This form is designed to fit on one page when printed. Keep a stack at your front desk or grooming station and fill one out for every appointment — especially new clients.

For a deeper intake with full grooming history, behavior details, and health background, use the complete consultation checklist.

Both forms pair well with your consent and waiver form — the intake gathers information, the waiver covers liability.

Share this article

Cat Grooming Directory Team

Cat grooming expert and contributor to Cat Grooming Directory. Passionate about helping cat owners find the best grooming solutions for their feline friends.

Related Articles

For ProfessionalsNEW

PetSmart's Buy 3, Get the 4th Free Covers Cats This Year. Here's the Prepaid Package Math Before You Match It.

From November 16 a chain is giving away every fourth cat groom. Matching that is the wrong move for a cat salon that tops out at four or five grooms a day. Here's what the bundle actually is, why its terms don't fit a cat's coat cycle, and how to sell a prepaid package that pays you instead.

8 min read
For ProfessionalsNEW

Cat Grooming Break-Even Pricing: The Industry Formula Divides by Dogs Per Day, and That's the Wrong Number

The break-even formula the trade press teaches works fine for a dog salon. Run it on a cat book and it quietly tells you to underprice every groom. Here's the cat version: hours instead of heads, your paycheck in the costs, and a floor for the groom that stops early.

9 min read
For ProfessionalsNEW

A Cat Bit You on the Table. Now What? The Incident Protocol for the Next 24 Hours

Your first-aid kit handles the wound. Nothing handles the owner call, the paperwork, or the rebook decision. Here's the cat groomer's protocol for after the bite.

7 min read