Should I have a vet shave Sylvester's mats?

[les26]

 
I've been very interested in following this thread as I'm currently having almost word for word the same dilemma with my ball of fur - thanks for asking the question - I think I've also decided now that the vet is the way to go - I'd love to hear how you and he get on if you do bring him to the vet as I'm also very wary of my boy's reaction...

Hi! I certainly will post on here updates as to how we do! Right now we are going to wait, after having Spring like weather off and on for the past few weeks it is under normal temps with snow for about a week, so we will wait until it warms up before we take him. Deb and I are going to try this weekend to get some out, I'll gently hold him down on the table while she tries to work on them, but I don't think it'll be Sylvester's idea of a "good time" lol!!!

 

[arouetta]

 
Were they long haired cats?

Some were.  Sebastian was long-haired, so was his sister.  The cat that scoured the land of all vermin was long-haired and so was her son.  So was the one that lived for years after being exposed to FIP.

Darn, I can't remember anyone's name except Sebastian.

 

[sophie1]

Buy an electric clipper for cats and a "greyhound" metal tooth comb.  These are practically required pieces of equipment if you have a cat prone to matting!   After 4 years of Siberian cat ownership, I could probably write the book on how to remove mats.  It should not be necessary to go to a groomer, although that's always an option.  I have used scissors in the past but they're seriously nerve-wracking because of how easy it is to injure the skin.

Work on the mats a little bit at a time.  For very small ones, use the comb as a pick to tease the mat apart (using the tip only).  Hold the fur you're working on close to the skin, the way you would while working tangles out of a little girl's hair.  

For big mats, break out the electric clipper.  Hold it with the cutting edge UP, away from the cat's skin.  Starting from the edge of the mat, run it along the cat's body gently, with an upward lifting motion in short strokes.  Keep doing this until the mat is out.

My cats are not too tolerant of body grooming, and they tolerate these procedures very well.  I am sure it feels good to them - you can see how the mats pull on the skin, and how the skin relaxes once the mat is lifted off.  It goes without saying that you should pick a time when your cat is relaxed, give petting breaks, and reward with treats after each session.

Grooming with the metal comb is the only way to prevent mats.  On a long-haired cat, brushing won't do it because the brush doesn't penetrate to the undercoat.   They hate being combed though, so it's more about early detection of mats than prevention.

 

[amethyst]

 
I doubt that is it.  I had a wood stove most of my childhood, several cats, and none of them ever had a matting problem.  We didn't even bother to put a pot of water on it.

I have to disagree, a wood stove, especially if used often can definitely dry out the air, which will create static, which can contribute to matting on a cat that is never brushed. The static will cause the fur to stick together, and other fur floating around and things in the house (or outside if you let them out) can also stick to the fur. Were your cats also never brushed? Also not all long haired cats have the same fur, some fur types mat easier then others. 6 of my cats are long or medium haired cats and only a couple have matting issues when not combed out regularly.  Also if the cat is outside more often then in it wont be exposed to the dry air as much either, unless you also lived in a very dry climate. Basically too many variables to just dismiss the idea.

 
Amethyst, we actually had a mild Winter this year, very strange weather, warm for several days, then cold for one or two, over and over again, hit 60's in January, 70's in February, had 70 one day 24 hours later got 7 inches of snow, just wacky!!

Actually the fluctuating temps could also be a contributor, we have also had a weird winter up here (temps fluctuating between 60F to -30s F within days) and my cats and dogs keep going through random shedding. Dry air, mixed with shedding, can cause mats to form if you don't brush the loose fur out since the static will cause the fur to stick rather then fall out. Also an outdoor cat will be more active then an indoor cat, especially a younger one (since he was younger when he was an outside cat), think kitty version of bedhead from laying around the house.

 

[arouetta]

 
Buy an electric clipper for cats and a "greyhound" metal tooth comb.  These are practically required pieces of equipment if you have a cat prone to matting!   After 4 years of Siberian cat ownership, I could probably write the book on how to remove mats.  It should not be necessary to go to a groomer, although that's always an option.  I have used scissors in the past but they're seriously nerve-wracking because of how easy it is to injure the skin.

I don't know anything really about clippers so I hope this makes sense to the people that do.  But when I called the mobile groomer, she was using something that was a metal piece that goes over clippers.  It would allow some fur to remain instead of taking it down to the skin, though the amount of fur was about the same amount of hair a guy has going through basic training.  The specific one that she said she used on all cats was #10.

 

[les26]

 
I have to disagree, a wood stove, especially if used often can definitely dry out the air, which will create static, which can contribute to matting on a cat that is never brushed. The static will cause the fur to stick together, and other fur floating around and things in the house (or outside if you let them out) can also stick to the fur. Were your cats also never brushed? Also not all long haired cats have the same fur, some fur types mat easier then others. 6 of my cats are long or medium haired cats and only a couple have matting issues when not combed out regularly.  Also if the cat is outside more often then in it wont be exposed to the dry air as much either, unless you also lived in a very dry climate. Basically too many variables to just dismiss the idea.

Actually the fluctuating temps could also be a contributor, we have also had a weird winter up here (temps fluctuating between 60F to -30s F within days) and my cats and dogs keep going through random shedding. Dry air, mixed with shedding, can cause mats to form if you don't brush the loose fur out since the static will cause the fur to stick rather then fall out. Also an outdoor cat will be more active then an indoor cat, especially a younger one (since he was younger when he was an outside cat), think kitty version of bedhead from laying around the house.

Ah, these are great points, thank you! It might have something to do with it. He also had an upper respiratory issue awhile ago, lasted longer than the others that had it, and I was wondering if the stove had anything to do with it, he was never exposed to one before, and where he lived he was indoors and outdoors which wasn't good being in a busy Allentown neighborhood. He, like the others, are all indoor cats now. I asked his previous owner if she ever saw him sick with an upper respiratory issue and she said no, I asked yesterday if he was ever matted and she said no, but her son used to brush him a bit. We never brushed him, and seldom brush our others because they don't have matting issues, but it looks like he will need to be brushed on a regular basis. All your points make sense, thank you!

And when I got him he was thin and his fur on his lower back and near his tail was very thin because he was loaded with fleas and bitten up, I had tears in my eyes when I took him to the vet that day that I got him, seeing him like that! But that is history now, he looks great, very furry and healthy looking, now he just has mats lol!!! But we're working on it, thanks all!!! 

 

[les26]

We worked on the little guy tonight, I thought if we put a towel down on a table I could hold him down somewhat while Deb worked on him, but it didn't work well, he kept fighting us and sliding on the towel so we let him go. Then I thought "what about on a towel on the sofa?", and that worked better, he calmed down quite a bit, we worked on him for almost 20-25 minutes, rubbed coconut oil on him, tried to pick at the mats and knots, made a LITTLE bit of headway but not a lot, but it got him used to us trying to do that. We still think he'll need to go to the vet though, some of them are tight, but it was a start. When he had enough, he jogged away and jumped on the recliner,  we gave him treats and told him what a good boy he was....we'll see!

 

[Columbine]

Well done :high5: In my experience, bad mats are best tackled little and often unless you're actually shaving them off. The untangling process and be quite sore for the cat (think how much getting bad tangles out of your own hair can hurt ), and ending on a positive note is really important too.

Sounds like shaving is the best way to go for the worst ones, but working slowly on the others will go a long way to helping this process become more routine for him -so important for the future. Great job :bigthumb:

 

[les26]

Thanks Columbine for the kind words and encouragement! We will gently try many more times on the blanket on the sofa, he is comfortable there, I hold him down a bit and constantly rub his neck and talk to him while Deb is the "heavy" ha ha and works the knots! This morning he is back to himself, maybe a wee bit leery but fine with me but a little skittish of her lol!!! As we do it more he'll either get used to it or he'll know we are coming for him and hide lol!

This also reminds me of what we say when our little ones pass of a disease, "I should've done this, I should've seen this coming etc.", but we didn't know this was going to happen just as we don't always know when they are sick and need help, we can only just deal with it and move on.....

 

[les26]

We gave him a break from combing last night but will pick it up again tonight, but we had some encouraging news; Deb picked up a white/black knot that she said was laying on the kitchen floor, so brushing him must've loosened it and/or maybe he scratched and it came out, but that is good news! He also lays flat on his back on the sofa, and the worst, tightest ones are on his back, so if they bothered him all that much I doubt he would lay on them, don't you think?

We'll keep at it, it's like eating an elephant, a little at a time, you can't do it all at once lol!!!

 

[Columbine]

What great progress

He may well be lying on his back because the mats pull less that way. If he's curled up or otherwise has is back arched, the skin around the mats will be tighter/taughter than when he's flat on his back - just thinking about the way skin tension changes to accommodate movement

Keep working away, and consider getting a groomer to take the worst ones off or, if you're confident, get some small doggy clippers and shave them yourself - just be sure to keep the skin flat so you don't knick him.

It's just occurred to me that, if you're going the clipping route, you could start to prepare him for that with a human electric shaver. When I taught my pony to be clipped I started by having her close by another horse being clipped to accustom her to the noise, and running the clippers a few feet away from her. I then moved on to having the clippers running near her, and eventually laying the side of the clippers on her (with the blades well away from her fur) so she could get used to the feel of the vibration. Of course, this is all far more important with horses (who can easily take 45-60 mins or more to clip), but a little noise desensitisation never hurts with any animal

 

[les26]

Yeah that's true, although he does lay on his side a lot too, but they are very tight, we want to work on them and/or have them shaved for him.

I do have a hair trimmer that I use for Deb to give me haircuts, maybe I could use it sort of around him so he hears the noise? We would both be terrified that we would cut him though, so I don't think we'll use it on him, but who knows!

 

[Columbine]

Starting by him seeing you or Deb use it on you is the perfect first step - even better if it's combined with him getting extra yummy treats Once he's chilled with that, start getting it closer to him until it can be right beside him with him totally relaxed.

Like I said, not totally necessary, but anything you can do towards making the groomer a less stressful experience can only be for the good

I totally get being terrified of cutting/hurting him - I was the same way with my pony, and she has much thicker skin than a cat!

 

[fantisticat]

I'll just chime in that I brought my cat to a local groomer for a shave.  Though Bonnie hated the ride, the shave literally took seconds, and Bonnie seemed fine.  And it was inexpensive.  I petted her while the shave happened.  The worst part was the car ride!  Now I'm wondering if others have purchased "professional shavers," if there is such a thing, and done this themselves at home.  

 

[fantisticat]

P.S.  I should comment that we didn't worry about Bonnie looking great after (spending time evening her up, for example.)  That's what made it quick.