This appears to be another example of problems with pet groomers. As I recall, they are unregulated in the US and as a consequence you can get incidents such as this one and there have been previous similar incidents where cats have been either attacked by dogs or injured or even killed by drying cabinets (see base of page). Although it has to be said that these incidents are rare when taken in the context of the overall number of pets groomed at grooming parlours in the US.

Groomer loses temper and throws cat against wall/floor. Photos: Carolina Grooming security camera.

In this instance, the Daily Mail reports that a security video caught an employee at a South Carolina pet grooming establishment, called Carolina Grooming, throwing a cat against the angle where the wall joins the floor within the room where he is working.

The video is hard to watch but I watched it to understand what happened. The man is working with a woman. The man’s job is to hold down the cat while the woman does the grooming. To me, incidentally, the cat appears to be a purebred Maine Coon or certainly has the appearance of this cat breed. Also, as a commenter said, the woman with whom he was working failed to try to stop him and she appears to have accepted the way he was holding the cat down which he did in an overzealous way. It appears to me that he had lost his temper and was being too forceful as a consequence.

The cat was clearly very unhappy with how he was being manhandled in such a forceful and disrespectful manner (on his back it seems). The cat therefore strikes out. It’s not clear whether he bit or scratched the man. The man reacts by verbally complaining and then picking up the cat and throwing him/her against the wall and floor aggressively.

The abused cat. He looks like a Maine Coon. Photo: Maria Alfaro.

The owner of the business, Daryl Kornickey, says that the man has been fired and that the video was leaked because a former manager apparently tried to cover it up but he’s been fired also. It apparently happened last May but has only been aired recently. The owner of the business is making excuses for his failings in my view. He let someone run the business about three years ago and as a result matters deteriorated. He’s coming back to take charge apparently.

The cat’s owner, Marcia Alfaro, is naturally shocked at the video. She says that she is sick to her stomach and can’t even watch it because she cannot see her ‘baby’ being hurt. She won’t use the grooming service again but won’t complain to the police either.

Carolina Grooming. Where it happened. Photo: WCBD.

The police confirmed that they had not received a complaint but having seen the video there are investigating.

Comment: It is clear that this man at that time was not in the right state of mind to do his work to a good standard. I would expect the police to do nothing about this. I believe that the cat was fortunately unhurt but clearly this man is unsuited to the job. Their method of working also appears to be inappropriate; too much force and dogs near cats. Is that a good idea?

The place needs to be reviewed top to bottom and I would suggest that no cat or dog owner take their companion animal to this establishment until they put matters right and that it is clear that they have rectified their defects.

I don’t trust pet groomers. Years ago I had my female cat groomed because of matting and I believe she came back traumatised. You don’t know what is happening at pet groomers. My instinct is that sometimes the staff can be too tough on the cats and dogs. They should be cat and dog lovers.

The video

WARNING DON’T WATCH IT IF YOU THINK IT MIGHT UPSET YOU.

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