A process is described for making an aqueous coating composition comprising a cationic vinyl oligomer comprising the following steps: I. preparation of a cationic vinyl oligomer by solution or bulk polymerization of components: i) 2 to 50 wt % of vinyl monomers bearing amine functional groups selected from the group consisting of non-ionic amine functional groups (a), permanent quaternary ammonium functional groups (b), neutralized amine functional groups (c) and mixtures thereof; and ii) 20 to 98 wt % of Ci to Ci8 alkyl (meth)acrylates; and II. dispersion of the cationic vinyl oligomer in an aqueous medium and neutralization of non-ionic amine functional groups.