DES MOINES, IOWA — After decades in the global pet nutrition industry, Sandra Grossmann embarked on a new chapter in 2019 by launching her own business, The Feline Consultant. Since then, Grossmann has supported pet food companies, veterinary clinics and private cat owners, helping them understand the nuances of feline behavior and nutrition to foster owner education and innovation — all to improve cats’ lives.
“The cat sector is underserved and growing rapidly. My goal is to help cat food businesses, vet clinics and private owners understand the intricacies of cat nutrition and behavior,” she said.
In the following Q&A, Grossmann shares her journey of starting The Feline Consultant, her efforts to support the pet food industry, the trends driving the industry, and a plea for the sector to aid in the pet overpopulation crisis.
PFP: How did you get your start in the pet industry, and how did that experience lead you to where you are now?
Grossmann: When I began my career in this field in the early 90s, there were no established pathways to becoming an animal nutritionist or working in the pet food industry. Back then, while I was still in Europe, the job was highly hands-on and multidisciplinary. It wasn’t a matter of having a fixed role; instead, I started in quality control, transitioned to manufacturing, moved to research and development, and finally entered the ingredient sector.
This diverse experience gave me a solid foundation, and I genuinely enjoyed my time in the industry. It was a hands-on period that equipped me with the invaluable skills I utilize today. I appreciated my time in the industry; it’s fast-paced and international, offering many opportunities to learn and engage with different cultures. I’ve gained valuable insights that enhance my problem-solving abilities. My experience in quality, manufacturing and R&D has demonstrated how these areas interconnect and hold different perspectives within a company.
I started my own business in 2019, and since then, I’ve been very focused on cats and their needs. All my experiences enable me to work in the industry and with private clients to help cats by educating humans.
PFP: What has been your biggest personal or professional challenge related to your pet industry work?
Grossmann: As I mentioned before, this industry is incredibly fast-paced and very international; there is a considerable amount of travel involved. After 20 years, I could no longer balance my professional and private life. When you’re always on the road, it’s impossible to maintain that balance in a healthy, sustainable way.
When I left the corporate industry in 2019, I wanted to turn a corner but remain in the field. Animal welfare has always been important to me; making a difference in the lives of animals daily has always mattered to me. It was a significant challenge to navigate leaving corporate life while seeking a way to draw on my extensive experience and combine it with my passion.
English is not my native language. I had to work extra hard to express myself correctly. English is a complex language. Naturally, I’m an introvert, so I had to leave my comfort zone to become self-employed because you can’t be an introvert and market yourself well. That is really the biggest challenge — pushing yourself out of your comfort zone every single day.
PFP: Tell me about a professional accomplishment in the pet industry that you are proud of.
Sandra Grossmann, The Feline Consultant, with her cat Lilly.
|Grossmann: I am very proud of my successful consulting business. I am an immigrant, and I have lived the American dream. I moved to the United States, became a citizen, and started my own business.
I help many cats and their owners enjoy a better life together daily. When cat owners consult with me, most are at their “wit’s end.” I work not only with the animals but also with the owners. Toward the end of my consultation, I can see they are starting to smile again, feeling hopeful and much more energetic. Many say, “That was the best thing I’ve done in a long time.” That makes me happy and proud. This is my motivation: knowing I can help cat owners and veterinary clinics who don’t know how to handle cats safely.
I am proud to have been accepted into Virginia Tech’s OMALS (Online Master of Agricultural and Life Sciences) program. I’m pursuing my Master’s in Animal Welfare and Behavior and have reached the end of my third semester. I have always wanted to earn my Master’s in the United States, and I’m happy that I pushed myself to achieve this.
PFP: What is top of mind for you and/or your business in the industry right now?
Grossmann: Many people focus on sustainability, which is essential, but that is not my focus. My mission is to help cats by educating people. My goal is to improve the lives of cats by advocating for their unique needs.
Each consultation focuses on various topics, such as feline anatomy, behavioral characteristics and cat domestication. The cat industry is currently underrepresented, yet rapidly expanding.
Many businesses mistakenly believe they can replicate their dog-related strategies. I aim to assist companies by emphasizing that cats are not merely smaller versions of dogs. To succeed in the cat sector, we must understand cats’ unique domestication, how they differ from dogs, and the factors that influence their behavior. Ultimately, my mission is to support cats by educating a broader audience, including private clients and manufacturers who create products for felines.
PFP: If you could pick three trends influencing the industry today, which are the most important and why?
Grossmann: I recognize that species-specific nutrition is essential; cats are not small dogs. In addition, we must reevaluate our feeding habits for cats. Feeding cats only twice daily may make your house panther easily distressed, causing food aggression or unwanted vocalizing.
The second aspect is trust and transparency. Every company desires it, and I feel that more and more consumers want to know who is behind the brand and who’s formulating the food. We need research data to support product claims and provide the data. What is the prebiotic in this product? What does it do? How does it impact the gut-brain axis? This type of information is vital to the cat owners.
I don’t know if the third one is a trend, but I feel that our industry has a responsibility. Our industry is doing well, and I believe we have a responsibility to give back. Here in the United States, animal welfare is in crisis mode. Pet overpopulation is heartbreaking. Every pet food company should consider a program for giving back according to their means.
“Every pet food company should consider a program for giving back according to their means,” said Sandra Grossmann, The Feline Consultant.
PFP: What is something about the pet industry that people outside of the industry may not realize?
Grossmann: The pet industry has very high standards. Many consumers think anyone can open a pet food business, but they are somewhat mistaken when they believe that pet food has no regulations. Pet food is highly regulated, perhaps even more so than human food. Many people outside the industry do not realize the high standards we must abide by and follow. This is a huge responsibility; formulating for a population comes with significant accountability. We’re not just preparing food for one cat or dog, we’re formulating for an entire population, which makes it a huge responsibility requiring high standards.
PFP: What advice would you give to other women in this industry?
Grossmann: Support each other and look out for one another. I think that’s extremely important for the next generation. Be authentic and strive to find the position and role you like that aligns with your views. I currently work with a great team of women at Hagen, and I love to support them in any way I can
Sandra Grossmann’s cats Basil (left) and Lilly (right).
| Source: Sandra GrossmannPFP: Just for fun, do you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person? Or, if you have pets of your own, tell us a little bit about them.
Grossmann: I love dogs, don’t get me wrong, but I love cats a little more. I find cats much more interesting, and their behavior is more fascinating. I have a soft spot for all the unowned community cats, and I feed two colonies of 30 cats daily.
I live in my house with two cats: Basil, my little adventurer, and Lilly, my senior biscuit maker.
For my thesis at Virginia Tech, I would love to work on a project involving under-socialized cats, exploring cooperative care, or researching the dynamics of non-recognition aggression or pica. Cats display many species-specific behaviors that have not been researched well.
Sandra Grossmann is a companion animal nutritionist, certified cat behaviorist with the Animal Behavior Institute, a supporting member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and a member of the feline division at the Pet Professional Guild. Grossman has more than 28 years of experience in the industry from Kemin Industries, Camlin Fine Sciences, DIANA (now Symrise Pet Food), and other international companies across the ingredient, R&D and formulation segments. In 2010, she immigrated to the United States and in 2019, she left the corporate world to create her own business — The Feline Consultant — providing large and small companies, as well as pet owners and veterinarians, with expertise on feline behavior and nutrition. Grossmann holds a bachelor’s degree in food science from the Technical University Berlin, a Companion Animal Nutrition certification from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a cat-friendly vet professional certification from the American Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA). Currently, she is pursuing a master’s degree in Agricultural and Life Sciences with a concentration in Animal Welfare and Behavior at Virgina Tech.
Continue reading about other female leaders featured in our Women in the Pet Industry series.
