Matted Cat Hair

[Catmomof2years]

My long haired cat, her fur is matted and she doesn't like it getting brushed out. I got some of it out and have tried warm water and brushing. Any advice

 

[scraggles]

I too have a long haired cat who hates being brushed, particularly his belly and under his legs. I've had to bring him to the vet to get matting shaved out as some of the matting was getting pretty tight against the skin and wasn't safe to just snip out. I've snipped out loose matting before myself (keeping a comb between the mat and the scissors) but I'd be reluctant to recommend it here as a cat's skin can be so delicate I'd worry about injury.

I'm not in the States so cat groomers aren't terribly popular/common here but I don't know if that might be an option for you.

Once matting is removed I would also recommend combing rather than brushing and have myself only recently invested in a Furminator, I had a cheaper, what I thought was an equivalent, version before, but my goodness now that I've swapped over the difference is quite noticeable.

If you search matting on this site too I'm sure many threads will come up with other advice. Best of luck, to be honest, in my case, I've been working on rubbing my cats belly when he's relaxed etc. but I've resigned myself to a possible yearly vet visit to get them out!

 

[Purr-fect]

Here is what I keep matt free, 42lbs of cat and thats their summer coat.

We used to brush but on excellent advice here, now comb instead.

We learnt:

If cat has many knots, only cut one or 2 knots per day.
Work with a helper, one holds the cat gently and the other clips the knots.
Do not rely on the cat telling you if you are cutting its skin. When we first started cutting knots, arnold never fliched, I only realized I had cut him when I saw the scab healing.
Gently pinch the knot at the skin and cut above your fingers. (Not betwen fingers and cats skin) Tease the remaining knot of fur apart.
A large knot can take several days to break apart.
Only work on cat for about 2 minutes a day. It must not be an ordeal for the cat. Give him, her a treat afterwards. Keep your demeanor calm or cat will panic.
Use small, sharp scissors with thin blades. These give greater control.
Our preferred comb is acually a fine toothed plastic comb. The plastic doesnt slip thru the fur as easily as a steel comb. This means more loose fur is removed, gently, from the cats.
Our cats are now relaxed when I comb them and this is now actually a bonding time for them and me. They will lift their heads exposing their necks and ruffs for me to comb and often purr.
Dont let small matts become large ones.
Pine and sap need to be cut out.... not combed
Also check paws for pine and sap if applicable.
Check their butts while brushing. We tend to clip careflly in this area as combing would pull tender skin.
Dont be afraid to cut fur off. It will griw back and in the meantime probably wont even be noticed.
Remember....dont try to cut out the entire knot. Cut thru it if ned be. It can then be slowly teased apart...even if it takes a few sessions.

I am not a vet or a pet groomer. The suggestions I have given are from my personal experience, but the results have been excellent. I was embarrassed to take the boys to the vet because of their knots...... now they look like show animals (or at least their fur does).
The boys are now combed for about 2 mins twice daily when they come back inside from their fenced yard.

 

[basscat]

Furminator and only do one knot a day.

 

[ArchyCat]

Purr-Fect -- Two very nice cats!

 

[snowpawprint]

Purr-fect beautiful cats and their fur looks amazingly smooth!

 

[calico man]

Here is what I keep matt free, 42lbs of cat and thats their summer coat.
View attachment 249272
Great advice and do your cats look cool or what!!!!!

We used to brush but on excellent advice here, now comb instead.

We learnt:

If cat has many knots, only cut one or 2 knots per day.
Work with a helper, one holds the cat gently and the other clips the knots.
Do not rely on the cat telling you if you are cutting its skin. When we first started cutting knots, arnold never fliched, I only realized I had cut him when I saw the scab healing.
Gently pinch the knot at the skin and cut above your fingers. (Not betwen fingers and cats skin) Tease the remaining knot of fur apart.
A large knot can take several days to break apart.
Only work on cat for about 2 minutes a day. It must not be an ordeal for the cat. Give him, her a treat afterwards. Keep your demeanor calm or cat will panic.
Use small, sharp scissors with thin blades. These give greater control.
Our preferred comb is acually a fine toothed plastic comb. The plastic doesnt slip thru the fur as easily as a steel comb. This means more loose fur is removed, gently, from the cats.
Our cats are now relaxed when I comb them and this is now actually a bonding time for them and me. They will lift their heads exposing their necks and ruffs for me to comb and often purr.
Dont let small matts become large ones.
Pine and sap need to be cut out.... not combed
Also check paws for pine and sap if applicable.
Check their butts while brushing. We tend to clip careflly in this area as combing would pull tender skin.
Dont be afraid to cut fur off. It will griw back and in the meantime probably wont even be noticed.
Remember....dont try to cut out the entire knot. Cut thru it if ned be. It can then be slowly teased apart...even if it takes a few sessions.

I am not a vet or a pet groomer. The suggestions I have given are from my personal experience, but the results have been excellent. I was embarrassed to take the boys to the vet because of their knots...... now they look like show animals (or at least their fur does).
The boys are now combed for about 2 mins twice daily when they come back inside from their fenced yard.

 

[Furballsmom]

Wow, Purr-fect terrific explanation!!
There's only one thing I could think of to add, and admittedly I haven't tried it but I read here (apologies I don't remember which member posted about this) that cornstarch can help get the individual strands to come apart.

 

[Purr-fect]

Thanks for the compliments everyone, I will let greg and arnold know.

The boys are currently outside, in their fenced area, walking thru mud, pine needles and sap, wet hostas, cobwebs and rolling in fine sand....grrrr. They arent worried, thier personal customer support care worker (me), will clean them up when its time to come in....grrr.

Actually, so long as they are COMBED twice a day for 1 to 2 mins each time, its not a big job to keep the matts out.

And the boys feel so nice!

Interesting tip about the cornstarch. Might give it a try.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Purr-fect , gorgeous cats and wonderful explanation.
The only thing that I will add is if part of the coat is pelted (think a hard, thick mat that's against the skin) clippers are the only safe way to remove these.
I don't know how badly the posters cat is matted, but if it's very bad (you can't get a comb under it), I'd call the vet and have them talk with you about a sedation clip (sedation only to ease stress) and starting over with the suggestions above.

 

[nunnc84]

Thanks for the compliments everyone, I will let greg and arnold know.

The boys are currently outside, in their fenced area, walking thru mud, pine needles and sap, wet hostas, cobwebs and rolling in fine sand....grrrr. They arent worried, thier personal customer support care worker (me), will clean them up when its time to come in....grrr.

Actually, so long as they are COMBED twice a day for 1 to 2 mins each time, its not a big job to keep the matts out.

And the boys feel so nice!

Interesting tip about the cornstarch. Might give it a try.

View attachment 249551 View attachment 249554

A water fountain would look nice there, attracting birds for your boys and allowing them a cool drink in the shade.

=) Thanks for sharing your outdoor kitty area! My wheels are turning.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Here is what I keep matt free, 42lbs of cat and thats their summer coat.
View attachment 249272


We used to brush but on excellent advice here, now comb instead.

We learnt:

If cat has many knots, only cut one or 2 knots per day.
Work with a helper, one holds the cat gently and the other clips the knots.
Do not rely on the cat telling you if you are cutting its skin. When we first started cutting knots, arnold never fliched, I only realized I had cut him when I saw the scab healing.
Gently pinch the knot at the skin and cut above your fingers. (Not betwen fingers and cats skin) Tease the remaining knot of fur apart.
A large knot can take several days to break apart.
Only work on cat for about 2 minutes a day. It must not be an ordeal for the cat. Give him, her a treat afterwards. Keep your demeanor calm or cat will panic.
Use small, sharp scissors with thin blades. These give greater control.
Our preferred comb is acually a fine toothed plastic comb. The plastic doesnt slip thru the fur as easily as a steel comb. This means more loose fur is removed, gently, from the cats.
Our cats are now relaxed when I comb them and this is now actually a bonding time for them and me. They will lift their heads exposing their necks and ruffs for me to comb and often purr.
Dont let small matts become large ones.
Pine and sap need to be cut out.... not combed
Also check paws for pine and sap if applicable.
Check their butts while brushing. We tend to clip careflly in this area as combing would pull tender skin.
Dont be afraid to cut fur off. It will griw back and in the meantime probably wont even be noticed.
Remember....dont try to cut out the entire knot. Cut thru it if ned be. It can then be slowly teased apart...even if it takes a few sessions.

I am not a vet or a pet groomer. The suggestions I have given are from my personal experience, but the results have been excellent. I was embarrassed to take the boys to the vet because of their knots...... now they look like show animals (or at least their fur does).
The boys are now combed for about 2 mins twice daily when they come back inside from their fenced yard.

Excellent suggestions, Purr-fect , and Greg and Arnold are about the glossiest, smoothest, best-groomed cats I have seen. How gorgeous they are!

 

[Purr-fect]

Just in case you think keeping the boys fluffy and combed is always easy. This is what greg dragged into the house today on the long fur on his tummy! Its a dead cicada. About 2 inches long.

He recently has decided he likes crunching on them....while they are alive. If I can catch him doing it, I intervene...... but wasnt there this time. He has chased all the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits out of the yard....guess theres not much left for him to go after. The birds keep a safe distance over his head.

This is what a cicada looks like before greg has "played" with it and dragged it into the house......boys.......

 

[tarasgirl06]

Just in case you think keeping the boys fluffy and combed is always easy. This is what greg dragged into the house today on the long fur on his tummy! Its a dead cicada. About 2 inches long.
View attachment 249886

He recently has decided he likes crunching on them....while they are alive. If I can catch him doing it, I intervene...... but wasnt there this time. He has chased all the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits out of the yard....guess theres not much left for him to go after. The birds keep a safe distance over his head.

This is what a cicada looks like before greg has "played" with it and dragged it into the house......boys.......

View attachment 249887

Yeah, well, as we all know, boys WILL be boys, no matter the species. Those are some impressive insects. And anyone who's ever heard them will never forget the sound. Or should I say, the ear-splitting cacophony.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Just in case you think keeping the boys fluffy and combed is always easy. This is what greg dragged into the house today on the long fur on his tummy! Its a dead cicada. About 2 inches long.
View attachment 249886

He recently has decided he likes crunching on them....while they are alive. If I can catch him doing it, I intervene...... but wasnt there this time. He has chased all the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits out of the yard....guess theres not much left for him to go after. The birds keep a safe distance over his head.

This is what a cicada looks like before greg has "played" with it and dragged it into the house......boys.......

View attachment 249887

One of ours drug a live cicada in (this was decades ago) and decided the wings were too buzzy for her tastes and left it lay.
Ever heard a cicada go off with that loud, buzzing and weird cry when you're just almost dozed off for the night? No big deal, I had to pee anyway.... =/

Our current mischief maker has brought in live mice, live birds (ever had a bird flying all over your house at 10:00PM? The bird was safely retrieved by us and let go, btw!), dead birds which they proceeded to de-feather all over (not so happy ending for them, or me, as I love birds), dead snakes, and multiple live/dead insects (and their "parts").
This as well as the new issue of a girl developing allergies is why the catio has been shut off for months. We've seen no difference in her when it comes to stuff outside she might be allergic to but I really don't mind not seeing bird feathers all over. I hate it, and they hate it, but I cannot deal with using a broom to gently shoo live birds out of the living room and into the outdoors when I'm in my pajamas and ready to go to bed for the night. It just feels wrong.
Edit: OH and when I was a kid one of our cats brought a praying mantis inside, alive and intact. I was so furious. I've always LOVED those weird insects and scolded this cat like you would scold a small child for stealing cookies. I set the bug free, scolded more, the cat walked away and gave me the tail flick, AKA the cat version of the bird =/
I was a slave then and am a slave now.

 

[tarasgirl06]

One of ours drug a live cicada in (this was decades ago) and decided the wings were too buzzy for her tastes and left it lay.
Ever heard a cicada go off with that loud, buzzing and weird cry when you're just almost dozed off for the night? No big deal, I had to pee anyway.... =/

Our current mischief maker has brought in live mice, live birds (ever had a bird flying all over your house at 10:00PM? The bird was safely retrieved by us and let go, btw!), dead birds which they proceeded to de-feather all over (not so happy ending for them, or me, as I love birds), dead snakes, and multiple live/dead insects (and their "parts").
This as well as the new issue of a girl developing allergies is why the catio has been shut off for months. We've seen no difference in her when it comes to stuff outside she might be allergic to but I really don't mind not seeing bird feathers all over. I hate it, and they hate it, but I cannot deal with using a broom to gently shoo live birds out of the living room and into the outdoors when I'm in my pajamas and ready to go to bed for the night. It just feels wrong.

We've had (deceased) mouse (1), various insects (deceased, for the most part), and lizards OR their tails (lizards were released outside, of course; they grow new tails) in the house, courtesy our living room lions.
*And even the deceased, of any species, cannot sleep when cicadas start singing.*
As for matts on cats, to keep the thread OT, the three sweet shorthairs are blissfully free of them, but longhaired furmily members in the past were enormously benefitted by the Furminator.

 

[1 bruce 1]

We've had (deceased) mouse (1), various insects (deceased, for the most part), and lizards OR their tails (lizards were released outside, of course; they grow new tails) in the house, courtesy our living room lions.
*And even the deceased, of any species, cannot sleep when cicadas start singing.*
As for matts on cats, to keep the thread OT, the three sweet shorthairs are blissfully free of them, but longhaired furmily members in the past were enormously benefitted by the Furminator.

Our short hairs are 100% obsessed with a pin brush and a greyhound comb.
When we do a cat grooming night it's usually with a hand towel and a small container of water we the comb in to keep the static down.
One of our 10 year olds knows the sound of that damn container being filled with water and starts screaming for his turn.
Two swipes with a comb, he turns into Super Man and somehow takes to the air and flies out of the room
Whatever. The snake killing, bird eating, bird freeing, bug killing and bug dismembering girlie loves family brush out night and will butt our biggest dog away to get her turn first. If we ignore her, she'll find the weakest human (ahem...ME) and plop in my lap and wait impatiently until I'm done with that crazy mutts nails, feet, and brush out and indignantly wait her turn.
She's such a pushy, bossy a** brat and I love her for it.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Our short hairs are 100% obsessed with a pin brush and a greyhound comb.
When we do a cat grooming night it's usually with a hand towel and a small container of water we the comb in to keep the static down.
One of our 10 year olds knows the sound of that damn container being filled with water and starts screaming for his turn.
Two swipes with a comb, he turns into Super Man and somehow takes to the air and flies out of the room
Whatever. The snake killing, bird eating, bird freeing, bug killing and bug dismembering girlie loves family brush out night and will butt our biggest dog away to get her turn first. If we ignore her, she'll find the weakest human (ahem...ME) and plop in my lap and wait impatiently until I'm done with that crazy mutts nails, feet, and brush out and indignantly wait her turn.
She's such a pushy, bossy a** brat and I love her for it.

We do the flea comb thing and then the slicker brush. They love the ritual and I make sure they don't have any unwanted "visitors" because yes, even indoor cats in nice, clean homes can get fleas. Don't ask how. They just can.

 

[1 bruce 1]

We do the flea comb thing and then the slicker brush. They love the ritual and I make sure they don't have any unwanted "visitors" because yes, even indoor cats in nice, clean homes can get fleas. Don't ask how. They just can.

We have a slicker style brush with tiny pins on the end. Don't ask me where we got them, they're 140 years old.
The cats LOVE them. The dogs don't mind if we get burrs out with them.
They absolutely suck for feet or finishing work on cats though, but for most of the short haired cats they go crazy for them!!!!
It's not so much helpful on long hairs, but if their coat is clumped but not really matted, it can help break things up...then a slicker if necessary....then a comb...then a flea comb....then bandages for me as the long hairs think cat grooming is for sissies =(

 

[tarasgirl06]

We have a slicker style brush with tiny pins on the end. Don't ask me where we got them, they're 140 years old.
The cats LOVE them. The dogs don't mind if we get burrs out with them.
They absolutely suck for feet or finishing work on cats though, but for most of the short haired cats they go crazy for them!!!!
It's not so much helpful on long hairs, but if their coat is clumped but not really matted, it can help break things up...then a slicker if necessary....then a comb...then a flea comb....then bandages for me as the long hairs think cat grooming is for sissies =(

*Yep, that's about the size of it!*