Livingston woman's Divine Feline company crowned Cat Groomer of the Year 2023 at the UK Pet Awards

West Lothian woman overcomes fear of cats to pick up top grooming award

A Livingston woman who had a fear of cats has been named UK Cat Groomer of the Year after she fell in love with her kitten and started a new venture.

Originally from Derry, Darcy Faely, 23, started her cat grooming business Divine Feline just a year ago. With business so busy her husband Liam, also 23, has quit his job and joined her. Darcy overcame her fear of cats when Liam got a kitten.

When she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome – which causes very flexible joints and stretchy and fragile skin – she was forced to end her career as a nurse and midwife. Darcy decided to train as a cat groomer after volunteering at a cat shelter.

Darcy and Liam with Pet Awards host Carol Smilie at the ceremony.

She said: “I have been working with cats for a couple of years as I volunteered with a cat shelter. But I wanted to do more to help cats.

"When I worked at the shelter a lot of people gave up their pets that weren’t brushed properly. Sometimes the fur would form a noose so it was like they were strangled. I have always loved animals, but you never hear of cat groomers. Dog grooming is popular, but not cat grooming. If a cat is matted you have to take them to the vets to be put under with anaesthetic, some cats just can’t handle that.

"I groom without sedation and I don’t have any restraints. It’s all very friendly and considerate of the cats. After getting over my fear of cats I now groom cats every day and we have four rescue cats of our own, called Theo, Arlo, Juno and Cleo. We also currently have two foster cats from the charity we work for, Cat Concern.”

Divine Feline saw off 40,000 nominations, including some dog groomers who also groom cats, to take home the UK Cat Groomer of the Year prize at a ceremony in Glasgow last weekend.

The couple set up Divine Feline in April 2022.

She added: "It was a great night. The awards ceremony was hosted by Carol Smilie at the Mariot Hotel. It was brilliant. It was great to meet so many people who love animals.”

It’s a particularly big win for Darcy, who has overcome a fear of cats to launch her business and take home the prize. "I was terrified of cats for years,” she said. “I was never brought up with cats. But I fell in love with our kitten, and then cats in general. So I did a grooming course back in Ireland to help me look after our wee cat. Our whole life is cats now.”

And Darcy, who moved here to study nursing in 2018, absolutely loves her job. She said: "The owners are always very complimentary. It’s so busy. I’m mobile so I go out and groom the cats in their homes. Most of my business is in the Edinburgh area but I go all over Scotland.

"It’s crazy busy for the two of us, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love it. I love to meet the cats and it’s great to see their owners so happy too. People care about their animals, obviously, and people want to do good by their animals.”