Meet Your cat Groomers
Steve and Devin's story began in February 2021, amidst the COVID pandemic. In a small sign shop in Downtown Livermore, California, Devin's mother, concerned about her daughter's future while battling stage 4 cancer, lovingly set up a Zoosk dating profile her. Meanwhile, 363 miles in Long Beach, California, Steve's friends took it upon themselves to lift his spirits after a difficult breakup by signing him up for a free trial on the Zoosk dating site.
It was the final day of Steve's free trial when his scrolling abruptly halted on a captivating photo. Despite the distance that should have kept her from appearing in his feed, there she was, behind the wheel of her '79 VW convertible, her smile drawing him in. He felt compelled to send a brief message: "Hi, nice picture. Beautiful smile. I know we're far apart, but I just wanted to say hi." As he was typing, he paused to read the profile written by her mother, which made him reconsider; the girl sounded like a quirky Disney character gone awry. Devin's mother, a wonderfully creative and romantic Aquarius, aimed for the best for her daughter, resulting in a profile that was a bit... eccentric. One line in particular, "no neck tattoos," sparked Steve's spirit, prompting him to think, "oh really? We'll see about that," before hitting send.
Around that same time, 363 miles away, Devin's mom was urging her to check her profile. When she stumbled upon Steven's brief, but sweet message, she paused to glance at his profile. At first, she continued scrolling, but something inside her urged her to go back & linger on his picture, captivated by his blue eyes. The warm familiarity she felt prompted her to respond without hesitation. After exchanging a few messages, Steven offered his phone number for her to call if she wished. When she dialed, his sweet, almost childlike "hello?" felt strangely familiar, evoking a primal recognition from long ago. Startled by the intensity of that feeling, she could only think to say, "You don’t sound like you look." The two strangers found themselves talking for a full 24 hours that day, laughing & sharing everything about themselves, their conversation flowing effortlessly & comfortably.
Devin opened up about the challenges she faced with her mother's declining health, managing family businesses, & preparing for a move, all while raising three children alone. Steve recognized that she could truly benefit from some support. "I haven't taken a vacation in seven years," he told her. "I can help you with the move, & when I'm done, you can send me back." He added, "It's time someone took care of you for a change." That was all it took to encourage her to take a chance on a stranger who felt like a long-lost step-bro. Her only stipulation was, "If my dog doesn’t like you, it's a deal-breaker." Little did she know, soon enough, her dog, Diesel, would grow so fond of Steven that would jokingly refer to him as Steve's dog.
Not long after Steven came to Livermore, Devin asked him "so what is it that you do for a living?" He said "I have a groom shop". Devin thought that must be like a bride shop, but for men. Nope. "I groom dogs & cats" he explained. "Hah very funny. Nobody grooms cats" was her reply. "No seriously I groom cats" Steve explained. "Prove it. Groom my cat" was Devin's request. So he listed the items he would need & together they set up a grooming station in the garage on Harvard Way in Livermore. As Beerus, the first cat washed at what would soon become Catastrophe Cat Grooming, relaxed & he visibly enjoyed his first bath in all of his 6 years of living, Devin announced "there's so many cats out here that NEED you". "Nope. I'm not doing the same thing I did for 13 years with my ex anymore. When I finish helping you, I'm going back to work at the oil refinery" Steve insisted.
Anyone who knows Devin, knows that she can be determined about something that she feels is necessary to help make the world a better place. "We'll see about that" she thought to herself, as she went into her room & opened her laptop. "Hey Livermore, I found a REAL CAT GROOMER!" was the headline that she posted on Next-door. She made sure to include Steve's phone number to call or text for more info, before closing the laptop & going to find Steven. "What did you DO?" Steve demanded, as his phone lit up with inquiries about severely matted cats, feral cats, elderly cats & ordinary cats, all who wanted to experience the luxury of a stress free cat bath. But Steve had no time to be upset at her, as he was too busy replying to the flood of incoming calls & text messages. There were so many inquiries from people who had until now, thought there was no other option other than sedation at a vet for grooming their cats. Devin absolutely loved the way
Steve glowed of self-confidence as he discussed with cat parents his stress-free method of grooming all types of cats, regardless of their history, or the current state of their coat, all while using: NO leads, harnesses, tie-downs, or sedation.
Devin & her daughter went out to get a haircut the next day. When returning home, Dee asked Steven "What would you name your all cat grooming shop, if you had one?" Steve had just had discovered his left shoe eaten by one of Devin's Saint Bernard's Skunk Head, just moments earlier, his reply was "Just like my life right now, a Catastrophe!" "Hmm, I like it" Devin thought to herself. "Here, I bought you something" She handed Steven a brand new Dyson blow drier. "The first piece of equipment for Catastrophe Cat Grooming." Then she got started doing what her mom had taught her how to do best, visual communications & marketing. She came up with Catastrophe's first logo & business cards.
More & more cats heard about the unique services offered, & the pleasant experience it was for the cats & their humans. Then one day Steve asked her "Why? When you barely knew me for only a week, would you take such a risk on a total stranger?" Without hesitation her response was "If you would have seen what I had seen, how natural & comfortable you were, when you worked with that cat, Steven, it was absolutely beautiful. What type of person would I be, if I'd have let that slip thru your fingers?" The simple fact that she had taken a chance, & seen him for something more, meant the world to him. That's when he decided to give Catastrophe Cat Grooming to Devin, to pay the kind gesture forward.
