Dr Magnifico, a small animal veterinarian, explains why cats fur becomes matted. How to safely remove matts, and how to prevent future matts from occurring.
Rebecca O'Neal my cat too. I honestly wish I could keep her bald. The long hair is proving to be much more of a problem and a mess than I have time to manage and keep up with. I don’t know what to do any more.
Bambi White I have two? They both have long hair but it only happens to the white one, her fur feels so weird its waaay softer than the other ones, it feels like cotton almost
Thank you! I didn't want to use clippers or scissors unless absolutely necessary. Didn't realize the simple comb would work so well! I mix it in with the "slicker brush" they always LOVE! LIKED and SUBSCRIBED!
My poor kitty has mats I need to take care of. Your video was very helpful! One thing I noticed is the cat didn’t seem stressed by the sound of the clippers. I understand about turning the clippers on so the cat will get used to it and provide treats during the process! Thanks so much for your video!
Try a little cornstarch or talc on the base of the matt and work into the matt with your fingers. Carefully work the starch through the matt with a metal flea comb. This will break down the matt. I got four off of our 18 year old girl today. Its a work in progress, although I brush her every day. She is clever at hiding them but relieved when I take them off.
Please do a video on prevention. I'm never sure how much combing/brushing I should be doing for a cat that doesn't like it. One of my short haired cats has very soft fur that is prone to matting around her rear end and I'd like to do a better job at gently preventing the mats without having to have the vet sort it out every so often. She doesn't like me grooming her, unlike my other two.
Groomer tip. Wahl's Bravura clippers are much quieter. Also, if you use small round-tip scissors over a comb, you can trim mats out more safely than with just scissors.
Certainly saved myself some $$ and my cat a trip to the vet by watching this and just getting some metal combs, they seriously worked and I got like 20 mattes off his back.
Me and my boyfriend just adopted a stray long hair cat with lots of matted fur I use scissors to get the ones that weren’t adhered to the skin I felt so bad after watching.... I watched this on how to get the ones closer to her skin luckily I didn’t hurt her
So much information thank you very much. Just got two new additions and one is 7, severely matted not along her spine just Her haunches. And the both of them shake their head. Time to clean those ears!!
I’ve had my cat for 6 years and she has never had mats. But this summer she is quite matted on her hind legs and her back near her nail. She’s gained quite a bit of weight this year so that explains that.. 😩
Helpful video. My cat has matted fur the same as in your video in the same area. I started to cut the matted fur and stopped because I wasn't sure if it was going to hurt him. I have a comb to remove loose hair, so he doesn't get hair balls, but it doesn't work on the matted fur. I'll buy a flea comb tomorrow and some hair clippers. Hope that works. Thanks!
the flea comb does work very well, although only when the matted fur is not so bad that it hurts them when you use it. I usually try and loosen the matted knots with my fingers a little and then use the flea comb
I have a Norwegian Forrest Cat. She is about 7 years old, and like the comment here on the page, she has matted fur despite brushing. Also, she has like deep seated dander that no matter how manner times I brush/Comb it's still there. Anything you can think of to help her. Her fur seems almost water resistant.
Angie Johnson I take mine to go get trimmed about every 6 months. He loves it and it saves me the stress of thinking about how uncomfortable the matter fur can be. Also he’s hyper allergenic so I think it adds to him being more healthy because dust etc doesn’t get locked in the fur
Same, especially on her neck area. I wish I could scrub her down somehow but I doubt she’d let me. I wish there was some sort of supplement I could give her to help with the dander. I’ll have to try the flea comb thing once I get her to a better spot. She currently has all these dread on her back I’m attempting to get out. I see Chris Christensen has a new cat static spray that I’d like to try out but it’s kind of pricey. I don’t like using much on cats since they ingest whatever you use but that’s the only brand I know of that actually tests to make sure stuff is safe. So many times I see unsafe ingredients peddled as safe. I wonder if some of that spray could help? I wish someone would review it on RU-vid lol
my vet gave me omega 3 supplements for my furry friend's skin issues including dander. Unfortunately he doesn't want them (it's smelly oil), but it's worth a shot. Also, eating more fish (rich in omega 3, esp. salmon) could help
Use a foaming waterless shampoo and towel dry when done. Tropiclean has good ingredients and even a dander reducing one. Non scented earthbath works great too- ONLY do this after the cat has been thoroughly brushed and all knots and tangles have been removed
The best advice would be to go to the National Cat Groomers Institute and search for a Master Certified cat groomer in your area a CFMG is trained in the unique needs of cats when it comes to grooming :) We offer a wide variety of services for all cat grooming needs. The cat will look wonderful and professionally groomed. Vet's are not trained in grooming we LOVE them, but just as we are not trained in veterinarian medicine this is our field of expertise :) Thank you for recommending asking the groomer :)
Thanks so much for this video. I have a cat that's severely matted, and of course with COVID I would much rather try to take care of this from home. I was going to start with scissors, so I'm very glad I watched your video first.
I just ordered a $33 Amazon’s choice. I have to try this as Thor hates me brushing or combing his matted fur tho I try to not hurt him. I hope this will help us.
I have a friend who had a cat that had these for almost a year. She couldn't use the clippers because he freaked when they turned on, and trying to brush them didn't seem to really do anything, plus it appeared to hurt him. So, he stayed with em until the vet got em cut off somehow (if I remember right).
My cat has tufts of matted fur that is almost impossible to cut through. It is a lot worse than on the cat you are working on. The fur is so tough it has to be pulled in the direction of the clipper in order for the clipper to cut through. It's also very difficult to cut the fur because my cat screams and moves around a lot when I try to clip the fur. I have asked my vet to clip the fur but they won't do it. I have also tried using coconut oil to soften the fur but it doesn't seem to work that well and it is very messy. I could take my cat to a pet groomer but I don't want to take my cat to any groomer because I'm afraid my cat could be mistreated. My cat is probably in pain from the matted fur but I don't know what to do.
I have female a tiny (as compared to but looks like a) Maine Coon getting matted on tummy and back of hind legs. She’s not overweight and grooms everywhere else. Any idea as to why?
Thank you for the idea of doing it with a trimmer, I spent hours trying to comb it out but that didnt work at all and also stressed out my cat. It took me less than 2 minutes with trimmers.
@@ducksinarowpatience3670 We've had my cat since she was a kitten but she's semi-feral in a lot of ways and gets realllllly moody. Did you ever figure out a solution for yours?
TheEarthCreature yes! I waited for him to come into my tiny bathroom and grabbed him by the nap of his neck all my might and used paramedic scissors and cut the matted fur as quickly as possible. it was awful! I felt terrible for scaring him and being mean. But it HAD to be done so I braced myself and did it. You can get the scissors in any pharmacy, they prevent you from accidentally cutting skin. Just get up the nerve and go for it. God bless lemme know how you make out. Try giving catnip first so he's stoned and distracted when you do it.
My great aunt's giant cat has really bad matted fur. I try to brush him every time I go over there but I'm only in town a few times a year. Poor boy is the size of a pony but is also overweight and kind of depressed. I kind of wish she'd let me adopt him.
A few times a year can make all the difference in the world! Bring a deshedding tool with you next time and get the fur and undercoat thinned down so it’s not so back for your next visit:)
I found that I can use a pair of the large, flat nail clippers to get rid of mats. They don't scare the cat, and if by accident a bit of skin gets caught, which it hasn't, the cat will let me know before it is cut.
Our Max suddenly developed mats. He came from 3 past abusive homes. So he, sometimes, still ducks his head when we go to pet him. He will not let me near his mats to get them out. I saw where some people use olive oil and they just fall out. Would that work for me?
The metal one that she is using I found at PetSmart ( found it in the dog section). Here is the link. www.petsmart.com/dog/grooming-supplies/brushes-combs-and-blowdryers/top-paw-metal-pet-comb-49434.html
Best brand of clippers anyone recommend? Saw Petco has andis brand? They’re like $174. Worth it? My cat has bad mats and her vet spooky was concealed due to COVID
Do you have any advice for removing matts just like these ones from an elderly cat? She suffers from hyperthyroidism (she is being treated) and is just generally on the boney side. She's a good weight just showing her age - we're a little worried about grooming her as we don't want to hit her in spots that might jarr bones or cause her pain.
After reading your comment about boney backs and researching it, I think my cat may have hyperthyroidism. Thank you. Going to take her to the vet right away.
Just ask our local vet regarding our matted cat today and it could cost up to 300 dollars if they would need to sedate her. Hubby and I just decided to give it a try using an electric shaver. We put her on a strict diet coz she is overweight and it could be the reason why she's matted
i know many people who can use either. i never touched clippers before my cat stopped grooming, had no experience, tried first with human clippers then got animal clippers. i still feel unskilled with the clippers/cat overall but i find the animal clippers get the job done way better. if only they had the power of the human clippers they would be perfect (and i'm sure there are some out there that do, i just bought something cheap for my first experience, $30 included grooming kit combs, clippers, etc.). the animal ones i have are angled slightly differently & also you can adjust the blade distance to the very edge of the clippers which i find i need for my cat's super dense & up against skin matts.
It's summer here in India now and COVID-19 lockdown as well. How will I get my cats hair removed and he has matted fur under his fore front legs. I somehow managed to cut some matted fur hair near his back legs by giving him treats he likes and distracting him with it. It's impossible to remove the front ones like that. He needs to lie down. I checked at the clinic and they are not open now due the lock down. What do I do? Also, can I use the regular human hair trimmer on him? It's getting hotter day by day here. Need some solution. TIA!
My cat will rip me apart if I try to comb or brush her. She weighs 13 lb and is stronger than me. Her stomach is so matted and I know that can cause sores. My vet won't touch her and I can't find a groomer that will help because of her age (12). It's up to me to do this and then to keep her from getting matted again. Any advice, please? She has always been able to take care of herself, I didn't realize her belly was getting that bad, she has always hated her belly being touched.
I have an old peke faced Persian, she was a rescue from a breeder hoarder about 12 years ago. .dhe was kept in a small cage and I have tried everything to get her to use cat box to pee in..she will poop and sleep in cat box..but pee everywhere else..so I built an in closure for her..she loves it and has shared it with other cats that she gets along with..but big problem is she loves water..she plays in the bowls and makes a mess she gets soaked and cold and matted..have tried everything..if the bowl is big enough she will get in..if it's too small she can't get to water..tried bottles, she won't drink. .she puts her foot in then lives her foot but will do it all day long or just play..the mats are very hard to get out of her coat..and I hate to trim her because I don't want her to catch cold. .tried a sweater but she got stuck...
The clippers I bought sucked, scissors and a blade, patience and days of time to take them out...took days to get in so not to stress them took days to get out. .
My cat is nearly feral. She is enclosed either inside the garage or in a catio when outside. It would not be safe to groom her without some kind of sedative, plus it would be really stressful for her if she were fully aware. Is there some I could use to help her zone out while I get her mats out?
Can you please provide links to the products you recommended? I've bought many brushes, etc, but these don't get through my very thickly furred ragdoll girl. Slicker brushes always just slide over the top of the mats, which are like concrete to break up. She has a huge ruff that makes self-grooming so difficult.
I just had a groomer come in and shave my cats 3 mats off, by the time she was done, most of the lower half of my cat was bald, anyways later on I gave my cat a quick bath then let her sleep...The next day, (all day) my cat had trouble sitting still, she kept licking the area's where the mats were and I was wondering is there something I should be putting on her skin so that it doesn't irritate her so much, atleast I think it's the skin?!...What should I do?...Any ideas? Thx :);0
not a robot you can put witch hazel on places she was clipped. The mats were tight to the skin so she may have developed ringworm, which is a fungal infection that breeds in warm moist areas.
My cat is 6 years old, had her for 5 mos., a rescue came from a stressful home. I've finally got her trust but she won't let me pat her past her head and front legs so her back has become matted. She grooms herself but not her back. I will have to take her to the vet to get out the matts because she will scratch me. Also needs to be trimmed in her bummy area, So much hair there she is not clean any more and I can't really wash her. Any other suggestions? I don't want to traumatize her but know she'll feel better without the matts.
Cindy Ashman I just had a very good friend come round to my house. I sat on the sofa with my elderly cat on my lap - kind of wrapped in a towel (with his head out I kept telling him he was lovely etc etc) and my friend had the electric shaver and was using it on his right flank - area near the tail. We didn't time it, but I feel so pleased because he tolerated it better than I thought he would. We probably lasted about 2 minutes. She will drop round weekly now and gradually we will get rid of these horrible matts, that had become so horribly dense. For the past 12 months I had been doing it with a scissors and special comb with a blade in, but they are probably only useful if the cat has 'mild matts' ie the ones that are not right next to the cats skin. My partner refused to help with this task which was/is disappointing but thank goodness for my very good brave friend T. I hope you can find someone to help you with this.
Huge help. Going to get a large comb like that to try for my cats belly first. I tried small scissors a while ago and I punched him and he's so scared of basic grooming now. 😿 I still feel bad
Contact a certified feline master groomer through the national cat groomers institute if you have to many issues, you would be surprised at how well felines behave for us even if they don't for their owners :)
happens :( i rescued this cat off the street with a bum paw (neurologically dead (no feeling), pointing wrong direction, etc). the nails on the paw were grown all crazy wild long, curled over, & back into the soft part of the paw because she didn't walk on it and she can't control to scratch with it so they'd just grew unfettered. i used human nail clippers to trim because i couldn't get the pet clipper around the crazy grown claws...thought i was doing a good job until i saw the blood! got an area she couldn't feel but still felt awful and i swear, she knew and she would not let me do when they got long again...ended up getting bad paw declawed!!
I desperately need help! My cat came in my house this morning meowing painfully and then I saw little spiky sweet gum balls tangled deep in her fur and I need to get them out but I don’t know how without hurting her.
LauraXD_Queen u have to work them out with fingers...away from cat's skin. If you have to you can cut them out once you have them away from skin. Cat skin is easy to cut so u have to be careful. You can tease them out with a brush...are they seeds of some kind or actual gumballs...
So I saw a cat on the street today that I suspect is my neighbor's outdoor cat, but she wasn't wearing a collar nor a tag in her ear, and she had SO MANY MATS, including a huge one right next to her face. The only reason I don't think it's a stray is because she was sitting right in front of their door and meowing and staring up at it. What do I do? It feels like she's being extremely neglected because it gets really dark here early in winter, and she's entirely dark brown/black, so a car wouldn't see her at all without a reflective collar or vest, which she isn't wearing. However, the huge mat next to her face gives me suspicions that she might be really sick, because shouldn't she at least take care of that on her own? I rang the doorbell twice, to tell them their cat seemed to be freezing (it's winter in Sweden) and wanted to come inside, but they don't seem to be home. My head was initially screaming neglect, but maybe their cat is really sick? Anyhow, she had no problem cuddling up with me, so I don't think it's that they want to brush her but she won't let them? What do I do??
I think that you should get help from either a groomer or a vet professional on how to hold properly so you can get the mats safely removed. This is a very difficult task to try to do alone and often cats get cut in the process.. be safe and ask for help from someone who knows how to correctly restrain a cat.
layla hafiz I get my kitty stoned so that way she's relaxed. Because of this it was easier to get rid of her lumps of fur that I was unable to brush and.
My cat developed extremely matted hair practically overnight, the night 2 days ago she curled up to me when I went to bed, I stroked her like I always do, her hair was soft like it has been thus far, then today I noticed all of her back hair was like super messy and knotted up, she has ofc gotten clumps of matted hair before and I've always quickly removed them with a fur brush, but this time it's seriously bad, her entire back is all of a sudden matted, and the usual fur brush isn't doing squat and I am just hurting her, I am currently looking up ways to fix this, so if anyone can give me more tips other then what is in the video, I would really appreciate it, if push comes to shove, I'll have choice but to use electric clippers. She is an older cat, 12.5 years now I guess, persian, fur is shades of black, dark brown, some patches of lighter brown and rear left paw is blonde.
DeepbloodEclipse sounds like u have a persian Himalayan in a tortoise shell color. Persians get greasy really easy & it makes their fur mat really fast. I quit cooking meat because the grease in the room mats my persians fur. She requires the mats to be removed and bathing.
I have a 14 yr old male cat with matts in all his but end and REFUSES to let you brush him like he just hates it you start BRUSHING he starts biting and need help plz
I have a 14 year old rescue who is a bit overweight (she is on diet now, as per vet recommendations) we get the clippers immediately. her butt hair grows back fairly fast. Hold him gently and have someone shave the dread locks :) good luck
Yes the coat will grow back, depending on health, age, diet and other things that will determine how long it will take and how well it will grow back. Matting also causes damage to the skin so areas where the matting is bad may grow back slower then the rest. The tail always takes the longest. :)
Peroxide can kill healthy tissue, the best thing to use is a feline safe ear cleaner. You can get them at the pet store or your veterinarian if they are having ear issues :) Always be on the lookout for infection and ear mites. Infection will cause the ears to get super dirty within a week of cleaning and ear mites have a coffee ground look to them both will cause major itching of the ears and both should be seen and diagnosed by a veterinarian for the best medication to use to treat them.
i can't even get the clippers thru my cats matts :( he is a double coated manx who is old & stopped grooming 3yrs ago. he cannot reach his rear half basically. i've been managing with the clippers his back and stuff but now he has on legs, dense beyond imagination...whether I try from top or bottom I can't get thru (b4 he loses patience anyway).
Buy paramedic scissors at pharmacy! Can't cut patients/cat's! Trust me I'm a RN! They usually can be found in pharmacy. Ask your pharmacy! 👍😻 That's what I'm doing. My cat is feral born and I rescued him at one year old. He'd spent that year in a cage. I can barely pet him let alone get near him with clippers. So I snip off a piece when he's asleep and started grooming him as best I can when he eats.
Well what if my cat is WAY WAY more matted than that, just imagine the absolute worst matting and then double that, it's really bad and she smells. I had shoulder surgery to remove a piece of encapsulated calcium that was embedded in my rotator cuff that's going to take 14 years to heal so I'm not able to brush her. She runs and hides (and she's damn good at hiding) when she sees a brush and puts up a big fight if I try to brush her. I've tried cutting some of it out, but she will freak out at the sound of clippers and I don't like using scissors. She is very old, we got her in 2004 and she was an adult cat then so I don't really know exactly how old she is. I don't want to traumatize her, but this has to get done.
You need to take her to a cat specialist groomers. Bit pricey but it's no easy job. They will recomend she be slightly sedated via Vet visit on the day or the night before. Most cats need calming of sorts with grooming. Good luck
My poor cat has a lot of mats on his back and they're super near to his skin I tried cutting them but it seems more painful.. I'm too scared to shave it cause their skin is super thin
I have the same problem so i looked for a groomer in my area (well somewhat near) that also grooms cats because many groomers only do dogs. I plan on having my cat shaved all the way (except the face and tip of tail. His hair is medium length and this will allow a start over and the hair will come back silkier and i will then make sure i brush him weekly at the least. I am getting a mobile groomer cause it is less stressful for the cat if the groomer comes to our home.
@@nighthawk_predator1877 I got my cat shaved XD!! now his hair is growing back but I'm focusing on not letting it get matted ever again He just feels happier after all :) Tho i was wondering if giving his fur a trim once in a while woyld be better
@@jasmine_ism I just got my boy shaved in a lion cut from a certified cat groomer and he is not only very lionish looking but he seems to be so much happier. More active and playful. I live in florida and the heat is really high right now. We have a pool enclosure and he never wanted tpo come out except for around 7 am to 8 and then in the evenings after 6pm. Now he is out at 4pm and staying out. lol Best decision i've made in a while. I will do this again in the spring i think and will give him a bath about once a month per the cat groomer if i can. lol Otherwise she will do it every 3 months. Take care!
Yes, my cat is over weight. I am older and don't exercise him enough and f course he can;t reach his back side. I got a shaver like the one here but this video is helpful before I start. Thank you!
CATS with PAINFUL TEETH and MOUTH Issues also cant GROOM WELL!! Please have CATS mouth checked by the VET!! STINKY BAD BREATH in CATS= MEDICAL..DENTAL PROBLEMS!! I know this because our Rescue Kitty had these awful problems....1ST HAND EXPERIENCE in this issue!!
Yes it will! Good point :D Stomatitis among other dental issues can cause them to not want to lick themselves. I will do an educational post on my fan page about this :) Great information :D
Sadly I have another sweet cat age 9 who will likely be Euthenized soon...I don't have $$ to treat her teeth as I did several other rescue cats in past years...and I can find NO Shelter or Private party to help her. (I am moving into sons place as I am disabled and losing my home in 3 months He rents..no pets. Plus kitty is in discomfort. Which is easily fixed by Dental care! I begged for help for her for Dental and Rehoming .Seems I can't get it for her. I am beyond broken over this😢) She deserves MORE Happy Painfree YEARS!! She a Calico Rescue..SWEETIE HEART!! PRAYING daily for a Miracle for this kitty!! Please Share?? She has til about 8.15.17 Yes...I am. NOW a Widow, fixed income, did my own out of pocket $Thousands for other peoples cats for Years..17 years. Forgive me for desperately putting this Here..I just cant bear to see her killed over this fixable issue😢 SOME ANGEL on Earth surly has room to help her CALI girl ??!
Brody Rockefeller, Cats get mats no matter how much you brush them. No one needs to be arrested for neglect. They brought it to a vet, didn't they? That is not neglect.
