Pet Lovers

[jannabelle1]

I'm wondering if anyone else struggles with cats who have thick and very dense fur. I have a brother and sister who are 10 years old and I continually struggle with their fur that is so thick and dense. Both are big cats - stocky and heavy. I use a brush and "furminator" most days but struggle with mats. My other two cats have silky fur - no matting. Big boy puts up with grooming for the most part, but his sister hates it. I'm gentle with them but sometimes end up cutting out the mats or shave those areas in the spring or summer. Surely I'm not the only one with this issue. How do you deal with it? What do you do that maybe I'm not doing? Maybe it's just the nature of their genetic makeup....it just takes constant care and brushing.

[Mz iMac]

Petsmart does all of my 10 yr old 20 pounder indoor cat's grooming.

Every quarter, they cut his fur, trim his nails, clean his teeth & ears & whatever else needs to be done.

I stopped doing the above about a year & a half because he's aggressive & not affectionate.  After 10 years, I got tired of looking like I've been through a shredder.

[OKPrincess]

I have two long-haired cats and one is notorious for hair mats. Two years ago we had them shaved and the hair grew back a little softer. I have to brush them regularly to try to thin out the undercoat. These are my first long haired cats and take more care than all of the other ones I've had.

[candys mine]

Please don't cut out the matts with scissors.  It's VERY easy to cut the skin even if you are careful.  The furminator should do a good job but an actual Brush will only run over the top of the fur and do nothing to remove the undercoat.  A grooming comb is better to get through all that plush dense coat.  An elizabethan collar might help with your spicy girl cat if she's the bitey kind and you don't have anyone around to help. I can't work on more than 1 or 2 before my girly backs up her threats.

[newagain888888]

My mother has a long-haired, silver Chinchilla Persian cat. She grooms the cat every day using a wide toothed comb, a Furminator, and a third tool similar to the Furminator but with wider spaces to work the mats out. On Amazon it’s called the Pet Grooming Tool 2-sided Undercoat Rake (safe dematting comb). She likes to use the Undercoat Rake best. The mats are terrible and it’s upsetting seeing how painful it can be to get those knots out. She holds her hand very close to the skin and gently works her way outward to avoid hurting him anymore than necessary. It takes at least thirty minutes to do a good job. If she misses even a day, it becomes a worse ordeal. Her cat’s skin is so delicate on his underside near the back legs, he once he had to be sedated so the vet tech could safely remove the mats without harming him. His fur is as fine as silk but he has so much of it and it seems to knot within hours of being combed. Her kitty has reluctantly become accustomed to the daily ritual and will usually tolerate it for the reward of his favorite treats. That’s the only time he receives treats, so he will put up with a lot to get them. I’ve heard that there are sprays that can help when using detangling tools. Sorry that you struggle with mats too and agree that it’s probably the nature of their genetic make-up. I’m grateful my cat is a low-maintenance short-hair as I don’t know that I could go through that everyday.

[jannabelle1]

Mz iMac, thanks for the suggestion about Pets Mart. I didn't realize they groom cats, so I'll check them out. I have one that's fairly close. Thanks again.

[jannabelle1]

JwlryLVR65, thanks to you and everyone who responded with great suggestions. I'm going to check into some of the other tools mentioned. Both of them are such sweet kitties and I love them dearly, but unfortunately they aren't very patient when being groomed. I know that the mats can be painful, so I'm always extra careful to not tug on them. Again, thanks to all who responded!

[jaxs mom]

It sounds like you're doing what you can, have you tried using those rubber combs on in between days of a full a full brushing? My long haired cats tend to have specific areas that are more prone to getting mats and once in awhile i'll have to cut off a small spot. It's always worse during shedding season. But right now they're growing in the new coat and shedding is over. 

Are you using clumping litter? It's really not recommended for long haired cats as it can get caught in their fur. 

[jaxs mom]

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@Jannabelle wrote:

Mz iMac, thanks for the suggestion about Pets Mart. I didn't realize they groom cats, so I'll check them out. I have one that's fairly close. Thanks again.

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If you can manage doing it yourself, I would. cats have died at groomers because they put those heaters on them to dry and they get too hot when they cage dry ( which they often say they don't do).