Any tips on dematting cats?

[Marthe48]

I have a long-haired Manx kittie. She is about 16 years old, and has always been queen-sized. My late boy cat would groom her head and neck, and she was not as messy overall. Now that she's older, it is a constant battle to keep her from matting. I have 3 different kinds of brushes and a rake. I brush her several time a day and rake her at least once a day, but she keeps matting. I've been cutting her sides the last few days. My goal is to get her hair as short as I can get it, especially the problem areas. She doesn't like the scissors, so I do a little at a time. I've never snipped her skin, but she acts like I'm killing her. I read you aren't supposed to cut mats, but her hips get pretty matted and she doesn't like me to brush her hips. Last night, I held her in my lap and gently pulled the mats to seperate the hair. She didn't like that, but our session lasted longer than cutting and brushing. I keep bacon bits on hand, and give her a few as a reward, especially after a tough session.

I give her a butt bath about once a week. I imagine that even if she isn't messy, the bacteria is irritating. I feel like she is letting me know when she wants a bath, because she'll follow me to the bathroom and gets a certain look. She protests, but tolerates the bath. And she gets a treat afterward.

I won't ever have a long-haired cat again. She is a really good cat, and since she's become an only cat, her personality is really showing.

If anyone can advise on keeping her from matting, many thanks!

[Ocelot II]

1. I had no luck with my cat, who has semi-long fur that mats easily,

because she hated being brushed. She had a lot of mats that I couldn't get out, so I finally had the vet shave it all off (a groomer couldn't do it because she had to be sedated). As the fur grew back I brushed her regularly and she was fine with it, since she no longer had mats that pulled when she was brushed. All her fur has grown back now but since I brush her every day, and she doesn't mind, the mats don't form. You might have to go that route.

[we can do it]

2. We take our Maine Coon to the groomer for a lion cut when he gets mats.

He does not like being brushed at all, but he loves the groomer! He doesn't get them all the time, mainly when he's very happy rolling around in sunbeams.

[hlthe2b]

3. When really bad, shaving is the only real answer and may require veterinary sedation/supervision

Long, fine hair mats easily so daily brushing afterward is probably the only solution.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. Probably the only solution when they're bad

At the shelter we occasionally get badly matted strays, or matted kitties whose elderly owners have had to go into care or have passed, and who couldn't keep up with them prior to that. If they're really bad, they'll get a "lion cut" and a bath, which usually results in them sitting in a cat bed in the stray jail and glowering at all passersby, or trying to hide for a day or two.

For your, ahem, larger kitties, many vets will shave what they call a "potty patch" on the back end to keep that from getting nasty. It's hard for larger or older cats to get back there for personal hygiene and, absent other methods, that works pretty well.

There is a gadget called a "mat splitter" that I used to own when I had long-haired cats. It's like a very thin knife blade with a dull side that you place against Kitty's skin and gently slice outwards. Some cats do not like this because it can pull a bit, but it works for if used properly.

[WhiteTara]

4. Don't use scissors!

I use a electric Wahl shaver on the low speed. I have one cat that was a constant mat. He never groomed himself in his life.

[marybourg]

6. Yes, lion cut.

[gab13by13]

7. I comb my cat every day,

He absolutely does not want his hips combed so I have to do that carefully.

Sorry, but the clumps, I cut with scissors and then I can comb the hair out. He loves being combed, except for his hips. Then again this cat doesn't have real long fur so this may not work with longer haired cats.

[tblue37]

8. Marthe, I could have written this myself! The only solution I can come up with is to have the

mats shaved at the vet, but they will have to sedate her.

[gab13by13]

9. If you are from Florida, you may be in luck,

I hear they just passed some sort of "groomer" law.

[slightlv]

10. I have two long haired cats,

one a Maine Coon and the other a Norwegian. The Maine Coon will let me brush him up to a point. The Norwegian looks at me like I'm from another planet the minute he sees me open the grooming drawer! What an experience!!!!!

I DO use scissors. BUT they're the very small, tiny tailoring scissors. And I only use them to snip what I can to brush the mats apart on my MC.

I have to take my Japanese Bobtail in to the vet for an appt this week and I'll be asking about bringing in my Norwegian for possible sedation and shaving. He has too many heavy mats right now. I know they pull on him and make him miserable. But he won't let me do much about them. And I feel so bad for him. I try so hard to help him, and I'm the ONLY one who can handle him.. he's so enormous and wild as a march hare for anyone else.

But, you said your baby would be the last long haired cat you'd have because of the mats. Let me warn you... long hairs are not the only cats to get mats!!! I feel sooo bad for the cat next door to me. he's a (would be) gorgeous short-hair flame point Siamese whose "owner" lets him run the neighborhood. He takes no better care for him than if he never saw the cat before in his life. The cat's entire back, all along his spine is one entire layer of mats. I feel so sorry for him. There's no way that cat can work those mats out. He'll have to eventually be shaved, once someone figures the cat is a stray and takes him in (and it will happen, I'm sure). I even have to watch my short haired cats for mats. All cats can mat; some just do so more easily than others. I think it's a function of how fine the fur is, not necessarily how long the fur is. (Just my opinion)

[Marthe48]

11. Thanks for the tips

I didn't want her sedated, kind of worried because she is old. I did more separating with my fingers this afternoon, followed by raking and combing. She is tolerating it pretty well. It might be making her feel better.

Maybe I was hoping for a solution to preventing mats, or clearing them fast

[Donkees]

12. These types of matt splitters work very well on long haired dogs, plus there are dematting/detangler

grooming solutions in pump spray bottles which make it easier to glide matts out. Just stay away from silicone ingredients. There must be cat specific formulas. Grooming tools made especially for long fur, (such as extra long pin slickers) are also a great help.

[Marthe48]

13. Looks like letter openers we have

I read that cornstarch helped. I tried that, and she just got dusty. But next time I shop, I'll see if I can get a product for kitties. Thank you!

[Ziggysmom]

14. My baby Ollie, may he RIP, had gorilla hair! Tough as nails and with a heavy, heavy undercoat.

This Furminator gadget was the only thing that ever worked. They have a money back guarantee and good instructions on their website. I'm all thumbs at grooming cats, but was able to do it easily. Ollie was a nervous guy and you couldn't get near him with scissors or anything that made too much noise. He had kidney issues so sedating and shaving was not possible. For over 8 years I used this to keep matts and dingleberries away 😇

https://www.furminator.com/products/brush/brushes-and-combs/adjustable-dematter-tool.aspx

[Marthe48]

15. What a pretty kitty

I bet you miss him. :'(

My current cat is the most labor intensive kitty I've ever had.

[Ziggysmom]

16. Thank you. He was an angel. It does get more intense as cats get older and can no longer

reach places they used to clean. Not all long hair is the same; I've had cats that had extremely long hair that never matted. Seems to be the combination of undercoat and hair coarseness/texture. But they are so worth it ❤️

[chowmama]

18. All clinics are familiar with the v-shaped cuts that come from scissors.

Cats' skin is very thin and flexible, and not really very attached to the muscle beneath. You can pull it up by accident without even realizing it and then it gets between the blades. Big ouch and a vet visit.

In a dire emergency, I've always forced a comb between the mat and the skin, lying flat against the body. It pulls and the cat hates it, but you can carefully cut on top of the comb teeth and, as long as it's not a wide-gapped comb, you can be reasonably certain the skin will stay on the bottom side. You won't be making any friends, though.

[Marthe48]

19. Thank you for the advice

I've never cut her skin. Even so, she hates anything I do for her. Most times, I end up scratched and sulky