Cat Groomer Certification, Compared

A neutral side-by-side of the three major cat-grooming certification programs — CFMG, ICMCG, and ICATS — covering cost, exam format, recertification, and what each credential actually signals to clients and hiring salons.

Updated September 2026 · data sourced from the issuing bodies, last verified June 2026

At a glance

The headline differences between the three programs. Full detail and source quotes below.

Program	Cost	Structure	Recertification	Endorsement
CFMG Certified Feline Master Groomer	~$585 in exam fees	9 exams, capstone	$85/yr fee	—
ICMCG International Certified Master Cat Groomer	$1,130 across three tracks (~$994 bundle)	3-track ladder	Not disclosed	TICA
ICATS Elite Cat Grooming Program / International Master Cat Groomer	Not publicly disclosed on the certification page	Modular Seals	Not disclosed	—

Certified Feline Master Groomer (CFMG)

Official program page

Issuing body: National Cat Groomers Institute of America (NCGI)

Cost: ~$585 in exam fees
$85 initial NCGI membership + $35 annual renewal, then 9 exams at $65 each. Written-exam retakes are $45. After certification, an $85 annual renewal fee maintains the credential. The official study syllabus and hands-on training are sold separately and are not required to sit the exams.
Exam format: 9 total exams — 4 written (Temperament & Handling; Breeds, Colors & Genetics; Anatomy & Health; Business Management) and 5 hands-on practicals (Shorthaired Full Coat Groom, Longhaired Full Coat Groom, Lion Cut Standard, Lion Cut Variation, Comb Cut)
Prerequisites: Active NCGI membership. No published hour or prior-credential requirement.
Time to complete: Self-paced — no maximum. The exams can be taken in any order as long as the NCGI membership stays active.
Curriculum: Feline temperament + handling, breed/color/genetics knowledge, feline anatomy + health, business management, plus hands-on execution of full-coat grooms on shorthair and longhair cats and three lion/comb variants.
Public directory: Public directory
Public Member Locator at nationalcatgroomers.com/pages/find-cat-groomer (distinguishes general NCGI members from CFMG holders).
Continuing education: No CE hours required. Recertification is a flat $85 annual renewal fee.
Third-party endorsement: None claimed on the certification page beyond NCGI’s own brand and Cat Groomer of the Year competition circuit.
Positioning: Single-tier capstone credential. You either hold CFMG or you don’t — there is no intermediate ladder.

International Certified Master Cat Groomer (ICMCG)

Official program page

Issuing body: International Professional Groomers, Inc. (IPG), with the Professional Cat Groomers Association (PCGA)

Cost: $1,130 across three tracks (~$994 bundle)
Three sequential tracks: CCG $395 (includes first-year IPG + PCGA membership), ACG $310, ICMCG $395. Bundle of all three is listed at $1,130 regular / $994.40 sale. The bundle page references "membership through December 2023," so confirm current bundle inclusions before relying on the discounted price.
Exam format: Each track combines written tests (open book, transitioning to online per the program page) and practical tests. ICMCG (Track 3) is 3 practical tests (Lion trim, one stylized trim, breed-profile grooming) plus an extensive written test. ICMCG practicals must be done live or by "Zoom-Live"; earlier tracks accept video submissions.
Prerequisites: Strictly sequential — the IPG page states explicitly that "the tracks must be completed in order." No published hour requirement.
Time to complete: Not published on the certification page.
Curriculum: Advanced technique progression across three tracks; breed-profile grooming aligned to TICA breed standards is the explicit organizing principle of Track 3. Lion trim, one stylized/creative trim, and breed-specific knowledge.
Public directory: Not disclosed
No searchable public certified-groomer directory was located on the IPG certification landing page. The site references "IPG Certifiers" in navigation, but no public directory URL was found.
Continuing education: Not published on the certification page.
Third-party endorsement: TICA — "IPG Cat certification is Endorsed by the International Cat Association, Inc." This is the only external endorsement either NCGI or IPG names directly on its certification landing page.
Positioning: Tiered ladder (CCG → ACG → ICMCG), built around breed-profile grooming to TICA standards. Live-Zoom practicals at the master level open the credential to groomers who can’t travel to a testing site.

Elite Cat Grooming Program / International Master Cat Groomer (ICATS)

Official program page

Issuing body: ICATS

Cost: Not publicly disclosed on the certification page
ICATS does not publish exam-level or program-level pricing on its public certification page. Costs are presumably available on application or after registration.
Exam format: Four hands-on practical tests on a live cat — Brushing & Maintenance, Grooming, Bathing, Handling — plus written exams (format not specified on the certification page).
Prerequisites: None stated. ICATS positions the program as accessible to "anyone…from beginners to seasoned professionals."
Time to complete: Not publicly disclosed on the certification page.
Curriculum: Anatomy + physiology, salon management, cat behavior + handling, grooming techniques + styling, deshedding + brushing, bathing + drying. Four specialty "Seal" courses ladder into Bronze / Silver / Gold designations.
Public directory: Not disclosed
No public certified-groomer directory was located on the certification page.
Continuing education: Not publicly disclosed on the certification page.
Third-party endorsement: None stated on the certification page.
Positioning: Modular Seal-based structure rather than a single end-to-end track. Groomers stack specialty credentials (Handling & Cat Behavior; Precision Grooming; Deshedding & Matting; Bathing & Drying) toward a Master designation.

How to pick between them

Each program is built for a different audience and there isn’t a single correct answer. A useful way to read the three side-by-side:

If discoverability by cat owners matters most: CFMG has the only publicly searchable cat-groomer directory, so a client searching the issuing body’s site can find you directly.
If breed-club / show clientele is the goal: ICMCG is the only program directly endorsed by TICA, and its curriculum is built around breed-profile grooming standards.
If you want modular specialization rather than a single capstone: ICATS lets you stack Seals over time (handling, deshedding, bathing, etc.) toward a tiered designation instead of one end-to-end exam track.
If cost transparency matters: NCGI and IPG both publish exam-level pricing on their certification pages. ICATS does not.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a cat grooming certification to work as a cat groomer?

No. There is no government licensing requirement for cat grooming in the United States or Canada — the credentials below are issued by private industry bodies, not regulators. That said, a certification signals to clients (and to salons hiring you) that you have been tested on cat-specific handling, anatomy, and grooming technique, which is meaningfully different from general dog-and-cat grooming experience. Many cat-only salons require or strongly prefer a certified groomer for their hiring pool.

Which cat groomer certification is the most recognized?

It depends on what you mean by recognized. NCGI’s CFMG is the legacy U.S. cat-only credential and has the largest publicly searchable member directory, so it is the most discoverable by cat owners shopping for a groomer. IPG’s ICMCG is the only program whose certification page directly names a third-party endorsement (The International Cat Association — TICA), which is meaningful for breeders and breed-club clientele. ICATS is newer and positions itself on modular specialty Seals rather than a single capstone. Recognition depends on which clientele you’re trying to serve.

How long does it take to become a certified cat groomer?

NCGI publishes no time limit — the 9 CFMG exams can be taken at any pace as long as your NCGI membership is active. IPG does not publish a time-to-complete on the certification page, but its tracks must be completed sequentially (CCG → ACG → ICMCG). ICATS does not publish a duration. In practice, most groomers report 12–24 months from starting the first exam to earning the capstone credential, depending on whether they pursue formal training between exams.

What does cat grooming certification cost?

NCGI is approximately $585 in exam fees (9 exams at $65 each), plus the $85 initial NCGI membership and $35 annual renewal during the program, and an $85 annual recertification fee after. IPG is $1,130 across the three tracks at full price, or about $994 with the published bundle discount. ICATS does not publish pricing on its public certification page.

Can I list my certification on Cat Grooming Directory?

Yes — every groomer profile on Cat Grooming Directory has a "Certifications" field that any of the credentials above (and others) can be added to when you claim your listing. Listings with verified certifications surface in the "cat-only" and "feature" filter chips on city pages and are weighted higher in search ranking. Visit the claim flow on your existing listing or list your business if you do not yet have one.

Already certified? Get your credential on your Cat Grooming Directory listing.

Verified certifications surface in our city-page filters and weight your listing higher in search ranking. Every groomer profile has a certifications field that any of the three programs (and others) can be added to when you claim your listing.

List your business Search for your existing listing

This page is editorial — Cat Grooming Directory is not affiliated with NCGI, IPG, or ICATS, and we don’t receive referral fees from any of them. Facts in the comparison are sourced directly from each program’s public certification page and last verified June 2026. Programs may change pricing, formats, or recertification rules; check each issuer’s official page for the most current details before enrolling.