How To Prevent Matted Cat Hair
Matting can be avoided by regular sessions with a comb, Conner said.
Ideally, you should brush your cats fur daily, especially if she has longer hair. But even a few moments once a week will keep most cats tangle-free for life.
A slicker brush is a great tool to have for brushing both long- and short-haired cats regularly.
When brushing your cat, use the comb in a J pattern, Conner recommended. You do this by reaching all the way down to the skin, lifting up and repeating.
Brushing your cat for a few minutes daily is all you need to keep your cat from getting painful mats on her fur for good!
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Step 3: Comb Away The Mats
Take your metal comb and, using the wide-toothed side, comb your cat’s fur until you get to the mat on your cats fur. Hold the hair nearest your cat’s skin firmly, but gently so that you dont hurt your cat.Gently work your comb through the mat. Start combing it from the tips of the mat and work your way downwards towards the base of your cats fur. This technique will only make sure that you thoroughly get rid of the mat.As youre combing your cats fur to get the mats out, be careful that you dont tug or pull on your cats fur. Not only is this very painful for your cat, but also further irritate the sensitive skin underneath the mat.In the video below, a professional pet stylist demonstrates how to properly do the combing technique:
How To Get Rid Of Mats In Your Cats Fur
We recently came across a post on a cat-lovers forum from a lady with a Maine Coon named Princess.
As she explains, Princess was dumped near her home, and shes currently a barn cat, so she gets TONS of mats in her fur.
The poster goes on to explain that shes already tried the obvious solution- cutting them out, but they just keep coming back.
So, what else can she do aside from follow Princess around with scissors?
Well, for starters, she should put those scissors away entirely!
Experts say cutting your cats fur actually be dangerous, since kitties have such delicate skin.
Its just way too easy to accidentally cut too close and wound your cat, which can lead to pain, bleeding, stitches, and even infection.
Instead, invest in a professional and a , then follow these steps:
- Start by working as much of the mat free as possible with your fingers.
- Then, spray a little cat-safe detangling spray on your kittys mat.
- Next, hold your cats hair in your fingers just beneath the mat.
- Use the comb to gently work through the mats using short strokes.
Depending on the severity of the matting, you may want to take kitty to a professional groomer. The tips in the video below will also help.
Once youve dealt with the mats at hand, its time to figure out how to prevent them from recurring in the future. So, lets check out some things that will help.
Part 1 Of 3:attempting To Detangle Mats With A Comb
How Do You Treat Matted Fur In A Senior Cat
Once you and your vet have any underlying health issues figured out, how can you go about helping your cat with his or her mats? Regular grooming can definitely help out with your cats mats and general dull-looking fur.
Youll want several types of brushes for this intensive type of grooming:A rubber cat brush like this is great for general brushing. Its soft, so it wont irritate your cats skin. Itll graze over mats and not tug on them. Theyre also very easy to clean, you can just use soap and water. I like spritzing these brushes with water, because it collects loose hair better so it doesnt end up all over you or your floor.
What Are Matted Fur Clumps
The clumps are basically tangled hair. The hair gets so knotted and tangled up that it becomes a hard bunch of hair. The matted clumps can vary in size from barely noticeable to very large clumps. Often it looks as though the hair has been glued together.
Skin flakes, dead fur, dust and skin oils cause matting. When the cat isn’t able to properly clean his fur, all this dirt builds up and causes the fur to stick together.
Matted fur clumps need to be removed because they’re extremely uncomfortable for the cat. They pull on the skin and can cause quite a bit of pain. They also restrict air flow making the skin itchy underneath the clump. Sometimes skin infections can start under the clumps because of the air flow restriction.
What Causes Matted Cat Hair
What causes matting in hair anyway?
The main reason why your cat experiences matted hair is due to lack of . If you do not brush your cats hair properly or leave it as is for an extended period, then your feline friend will suffer from the clumps due to shedding and leaving the excess fur on his skin.
Other times, it can be from accidents due to playing outdoors. Your cat may roll into sticky areas or play too intensely, which ends up with tangles all around him once he gets home.
Your cat will usually experience matted hair on hard-to-spot areas where it isnt usually groomed, such as behind the ears, the groin, into his arms or around the collar area. Its more severe with long-haired cats who have excessive fur that falls out!
If left for long, your cat wont only look messy, but hell experience the following:
- Irritation or skin infections because of the extra fur weighing him and his skin down
- Pain because of trying to brush the tangles
- Skin inflammation
- Anxiety from the pain and skin inflammation
- Excessive hairballs This can lead to your cats intestine for blocking because of the hairballs your cat will lick
Safari Cat Comb Review Read Our Review Or Buy It Here
The is the first thing I grab to comb Charlie and Triggs manes. Its also great for pesky knots and mats. As with any cat comb or brush, I used it to brush my hair to see how much it hurt or not. It has smooth, rounded teeth, so it didnt hurt, other than when it pulled my hair! It would be a great comb for scratching an itch think back scratcher!
What is your favorite cat brush and why? Please leave comments below and be sure to include:
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Sprinkle Cornstarch On The Mats
For matted hair, cornstarch is very beneficial. It is important to deal with the matted fur as soon as you notice them, or the dirty, tangled fur may even lead to the growth of manges.
The oil-absorbing quality of cornstarch makes it a great home remedy for matted hair in pets. Its alkaline nature helps balance the pH level of the skin and will reduce any foul smell.
Part 2 Of 3:using Clippers On The Mats
Prepare The Matted Area
Sprinkle a little cornstarch or talcum powder in the area of the mat, and gently work it around with your fingers. Gently pull the mat up away from the skin, so you can see where the skin is.
If the cat resists, take a break and speak in a soothing voice, petting the cat until it relaxes. Repeat this soothing at any point during the procedure if your cat starts getting stressed out.
Remove The Matted Hair
Loose mats are the easiest to remove. If possible, try to treat matts as soon as you see them. Rub some talc-free baby powder gently into the mat. Your cat may not like this and you may need an assistant to hold the cat while you do this. Thoroughly rub the powder into the tangle. It lubricates the fur and can make it easier to remove. Use a steel-toothed comb to remove the tangles. The combs with rotating teeth tend to work better at removing fur and getting through minor matts.
Don’t get the fur wet. While it may initially seem like a good idea to use liquid or water to loosen the matted hair, it actually makes the mats tighter and more difficult to remove.
Tight matts, the kid that feel like little rocks, are impossible to remove by brushing. It doesn’t matter how much baby powder is used, the knots will not loosen. The only way to treat tightly matted hair is to cut them off with scissors. This is best done by a veterinarian or a professional groomer because they have the skills and experience to remove the hair clump without cutting the skin.
You can also cut off the matts with scissors if you’re very careful. The clumps can be very close to the skin and it’s easy to cut too far and cut into the skin. The safest way to go about removing clumps on your own is to use sharp scissors to cut the clump in half. Continue removing a little more of the clump every week as the fur grows.
Do All Ragdolls Get Mats
Technically speaking, the Ragdoll breed doesnt have a true undercoat, meaning there isnt a thick layer of fur next to their skin. No true undercoat should mean their fur wont mat.
However, in the real world, Raggies do tend to get mats from time to time.
Related >7 Important Health Inspections Tips For Your Ragdoll Cat
How Do I Get The Mats Out Of My Cats Hair
I have a long hair mancoon and he will not let me brush him now hes matted
The Plan of AttackYour first step: Gently use your fingers and a comb to patiently tease out minor tangles and small mats. Facing a mean, tight, stubborn knot? The easiest way out is to snip it off: If possible, slide a comb beneath the mat as a barrier between the scissors and skin. Then, holding the scissors perpendicular to the comb, cut away the matted fur little by little. If the mat actually touches the skin, use clippers to shave it off.Be careful not to cut your pet’s skin in the process, or you’ll have a much tougher time initiating your next grooming session.To the MatYou also can buy a variety of “dematting” tools , which you can use to work through a mat without cutting it off. It may take a little practice before you feel confident with these grooming gadgets.If you’re not interested in expanding your own grooming skills, a professional pet groomer may be a better bet. A good pro will find and remove all mats during a regular session.Whatever approach you choose, be sure your kitty is mat-free before you give him a bath. If he isn’t, the matted fur will become even harder to remove and could trap soapy residue next to his skin. That can lead to itchy, irritated skin patches – no fun for either of you to deal with. Better to be proactive and just get rid of those mats and tangles.
User in Denver, COUser in Maryville, TN
How To Get Mats Out Of Cat Fur And Prevent Them In The Future
- December 06, 2020
- 6 min read
We get it, and weve all been there. You are doing your best, but somehow your cat always ends up with mats all over the place, and maybe you feel like not the best pet parent because of it.
Luckily, there are a few ways to remove the mats from your cats fur without causing further discomfort, so you can keep your cat feeling comfy and looking glamorous. When you get ready to demat your furry friend, it is important that you do this when your cat is in a calm and relaxed state. Trying to demat a cat that is already agitated likely will be less than a pleasant experience for either of you.
Brushing Out Difficult Mats In The Fur
- Brushing out the tangles can be efficient depending on the type of mat in the fur. The main thing to remember is to use . Human hair and pet fur are different types of hair meaning they require different products.
- Be sure to get a firm grip on your cats fur closest to its skin at the matted area. This will help reduce any possible pain to your cat during the brushing process.
- Place your into its hair and use sharp, quick brushes away from the cats body.
- If brushing the mats does not help with the problem then you could try adding . If that doesnt help then you may want to seek the help of a professional pet groomer.
How To Shave A Matted Cat
This article was co-authored by Lauren Baker, DVM, PhD. Dr. Baker is a Veterinarian and PhD candidate in Comparative Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Baker received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin in 2016, and went on to pursue a PhD through her work in the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 95% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 52,583 times.
Cats just love to groom themselves. Unfortunately, they cant always prevent tough tangles from forming in their coats. If your cat has developed mats in its fur, youll need to remove them right away to keep your pet happy and healthy. Severe matting can make your cat extremely uncomfortable and may even damage its skin or joints. Start by trying to work out the mats with a comb. If this doesnt work, youll need to clip off the mats. Finally, be sure to prevent future mats from forming by sharing the burden of grooming with your cat!
How To Remove Mats
- Use a Wide Tooth Comb or Brush. Gently work out the mat with a wide tooth comb or a small slicker brush. Work slowly and carefully and most new, smaller mats will easily get loosened and worked out.
- Work Out a Little at a Time. Whether the mat is big or small, its a good idea to just try to work it out a little at a time, each time you groom the cat. Perhaps spend 10 minutes per day for as long as it takes to work out the knarled knots.
- Cornstarch or Coconut Oil. Try a little sprinkle of cornstarch on the bunched up fur to help loosen it up as you work the mat out with your fingers. Do not use a lot of corn starch as you dont want your cat to eat it and plug himself up! Use enough to get the job done and brush it out well so it virtually disappears from his coat. Some say to try some edible oil on the knots, such as coconut oil to loosen things up. This does work however, do be prepared to bathe your cat afterwards, as it does leave an icky gooey mess!
I always recommend working out the mats with a brush or comb and your fingers, but sometimes that just doesnt work.
How To Unmat Cat Fur
Although most short haired or younger cats should be able to keep themselves mat free without issue. Long-haired, old or sickly cats usually require a little assistance from their owners with the process. Over time small mats can turn into large clumps and dreadlocks causing your cat pain and suffering for no reason. In extreme cases, mats can end up becoming a breeding ground for pests such as mites and worms.
Causes Of Matted Cat Hair
Cat hair can become matted either because of shedding or movement. When a cat sheds, hair can tangle with the intact hairs and form knots. On the other hand, frequent movement can cause the fur to mat as well. The places where matting is most common include the chest, in between the legs, the neck, or anywhere where the cats fur most meets friction. Outdoor cats and long-haired cats are more likely to develop mats than short-haired, indoor felines.
More serious reasons for matted cat hair are that the cat is overweight or is sick. The fatter the cat, the more difficult it could be for it to groom every spot. If your pet is unwell, it may stop grooming, which could increase matting. At the , take your cat to the vet.
Step 1: Prepare Your Cats Fur
It is best to start by preparing your cats fur, specifically in the areas where it is matted. You can do this by sprinkling cornstarch over the matted areas and gently working it in with your fingers.
Gently try to pull the mat up and away from your cats skin so that you are able to see where the skin is. It is important to take care when doing this so that the process is as comfortable as it can be for your cat.
If your pet begins to resist the process at any point, take a break and attempt to soothe your cat by speaking in a calm and quiet voice and petting it gently.
How Can Matting Be Prevented
Cats groom themselves regularly, and this alone can help prevent matting, but when this is not enough, there are a few steps you can follow that will help make a difference.
For one, brushing your cat regularly plays a huge role in the prevention of matting.Brushing your cat once a day, rather than one a week, for example, helps prevent mats before they start. Daily brushing gets rid of loose hairs that are stuck in your cats fur as it sheds, and these loose hairs are a common culprit for matting. Grooming your cats undercoat as well as the top coat is also crucial because the undercoat is where mats begin.
Additionally, having your cat professionally groomed on a regular basis can be a big help in terms of matting, especially if your cat has particularly difficult fur. If your cat dislikes grooming, a way to help with this is by acclimating them to touch and rewarding them for their patience and good behavior during grooming. Finishing your brushing sessions with a treat can help your cat make positive associations.
When you successfully remove mats from your cats fur, make sure to thoroughly brush over the areas where the mats sat beforehand. This can help keep the fur from gathering back in those spots, leading to more mats in the same problem areas. Cats tend to neglect areas that have been matted before, so pay special attention to these spots.
Part 2 Of 2:preventing Tangled Fur