First some background:
A very friendly, and very drooly stray kitty recently decided to make our patio her permanent home. My boyfried and I have been feeding her, and we've rigged up a tarp over part of the patio with a couple of cozy sleeping spots underneath. She spends the nights under there in an old covered litter box that I insulated with a camping foamy and a fleecy blanket, so she should be warm enough for now. We're hoping to find her a home before it gets too wintery (all the shelters in our area are at capacity). We have two strictly indoor cats who stenuously object to this cat's presence even out on the patio, so taking her into our own home would be a last resort (but I have a feeling it may come to that)!
Here's the problem:
She's long-haired, and the undercoat on her back is very matted close to the skin. She also has a lot of dandruff. I've only ever had short-haired cats and have no experience with grooming long-haired cats. I've noticed on this forum that most people seem to recommend getting a groomer to shave the mats off, but since the temperatures drop to near freezing at night, I don't want to deprive her of any fur. I've cut a couple of the largest mats out, but I don't want to risk nicking her skin, so I can't do much more. She loves it when I comb her, but I haven't had much much luck penetrating into the really matted fur with my plastic comb (and less luck with my own cats' brush).
What should I do? Any tools or techniques to try?
Thanks![/color]
A very friendly, and very drooly stray kitty recently decided to make our patio her permanent home. My boyfried and I have been feeding her, and we've rigged up a tarp over part of the patio with a couple of cozy sleeping spots underneath. She spends the nights under there in an old covered litter box that I insulated with a camping foamy and a fleecy blanket, so she should be warm enough for now. We're hoping to find her a home before it gets too wintery (all the shelters in our area are at capacity). We have two strictly indoor cats who stenuously object to this cat's presence even out on the patio, so taking her into our own home would be a last resort (but I have a feeling it may come to that)!
Here's the problem:
She's long-haired, and the undercoat on her back is very matted close to the skin. She also has a lot of dandruff. I've only ever had short-haired cats and have no experience with grooming long-haired cats. I've noticed on this forum that most people seem to recommend getting a groomer to shave the mats off, but since the temperatures drop to near freezing at night, I don't want to deprive her of any fur. I've cut a couple of the largest mats out, but I don't want to risk nicking her skin, so I can't do much more. She loves it when I comb her, but I haven't had much much luck penetrating into the really matted fur with my plastic comb (and less luck with my own cats' brush).
What should I do? Any tools or techniques to try?
Thanks![/color]