Cat grooming in Pakenham.

Sophisticated Manes is a cat-only grooming practice working in Pakenham, and it is mobile rather than a salon. Sandi does not take dogs at all, so there is no barking through the wall, no dog smell in the room, and no crossover between the two trades. She has twelve years in the trade, and the last four of them have been cats and nothing else.

She is a Certified Feline Master Groomer, certified through the National Cat Groomers Institute since 2018, and she grooms from the skin up rather than the hair down.

The trailer comes to you and parks in the driveway, so nothing about the day involves a car trip. Sandi needs three things at the address: a power point she can reach, a tap, and a reasonably flat spot to park. Your cat goes out to the trailer in its carrier, for safety, gets one groomer’s whole attention, and is back inside when it is done.

A first session runs up to two hours and starts with a full coat and behavioural assessment, because what a coat needs is decided after it has been read rather than before. Sedation free, always.

Sophisticated Manes covers South East Melbourne, and Sandi travels as far as Drouin in the east and Hastings on the peninsula. Pakenham is one of the closest suburbs to her, so it is well inside that.

She asks for your full address up front, so she can tell you whether your place works before anyone spends a morning on it. Full access to the property is required, so some houses and units cannot be serviced, and apartments almost never work, because there is rarely anywhere to park the trailer or reach a tap.

Send Sandi a question through the form on the contact page, or phone her on 0488 155 534. She reads it herself and calls or texts back to arrange the session, because she speaks to every new client before their first groom rather than handing them a calendar.

Monday to Thursday, 9am to 7pm. She asks for your address at booking, so she can confirm your place works before the trailer is on its way.