Matted fur help

[Denver & Magic (GA)]

I just discovered Magic has a patch of severely matted fur on his hip. It seems to really be bothering him.

I’ve tried the Furminator dematting comb and it’s just packed too tightly. I chopped a lot of it down with scissors but am afraid to go any closer for fear of cutting him - he’s not being very cooperative. He’s bit me a couple times already.

It’s pretty hard and like the consistency of felt. Any ideas? None of the places around here will even consider grooming a cat.

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Sorry to hear about Magic! I do not recommend ever using scissors to cut off mat, as cats' skin is very elastic and fragile, and it's very easy to cut them by accident. If you have no cat groomers in the area, you have a couple of options, depending on how extensive the matting is, and how docile Magic is:
- if it's not too extensive and you think he'll let you, you can order cordless pet clippers and shave the mats yourself. This is what I do with my senior Maine Coon mix who gets awful mats on his belly despite extensive brushing/combing. These are the ones I have, they're very quiet and hold a loooong charge. Pretty small and light too, which is perfect for a cat.
- if he has extensive matting where the mats are connected together (also known as "pelting"), you should ask your vet to shave him. Pelting is extremely painful as the mats encase the cat and pull on the skin, reducing mobility and causing bruising. Most vets will sedate the cat as the shaving process is slow on heavily matted cats.
- finally, take a look at this directory just in case there might be a cat groomer within driving distance of you: https://nationalcatgroomers.com/find-a-cat-groomer/

ETA: I see you're in "Southeastern Indiana" - not sure how far Cincinnati is for you, but there's a certified cat groomer there: https://www.facebook.com/KaylasPoshPetsGroomingBoutique/

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Also wanted to add that my mat-prone cat gets really mad when I try to brush them or pull on them, but sits very nicely for the clippers, as they don't pull on the sensitive skin under the tangled fur. There's a good chance Magic will be less bothered by them than by the comb or scissors.

 

[Denver & Magic (GA)]

Sorry to hear about Magic! I do not recommend ever using scissors to cut off mat, as cats' skin is very elastic and fragile, and it's very easy to cut them by accident. If you have no cat groomers in the area, you have a couple of options, depending on how extensive the matting is, and how docile Magic is:
- if it's not too extensive and you think he'll let you, you can order cordless pet clippers and shave the mats yourself. This is what I do with my senior Maine Coon mix who gets awful mats on his belly despite extensive brushing/combing. These are the ones I have, they're very quiet and hold a loooong charge. Pretty small and light too, which is perfect for a cat.
- if he has extensive matting where the mats are connected together (also known as "pelting"), you should ask your vet to shave him. Pelting is extremely painful as the mats encase the cat and pull on the skin, reducing mobility and causing bruising. Most vets will sedate the cat as the shaving process is slow on heavily matted cats.
- finally, take a look at this directory just in case there might be a cat groomer within driving distance of you: https://nationalcatgroomers.com/find-a-cat-groomer/

ETA: I see you're in "Southeastern Indiana" - not sure how far Cincinnati is for you, but there's a certified cat groomer there: https://www.facebook.com/KaylasPoshPetsGroomingBoutique/

Thanks…. I ordered the clippers. Hopefully that will work. I don’t want to hurt the little vampire but I need to do something for him.

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Thanks…. I ordered the clippers. Hopefully that will work. I don’t want to hurt the little vampire but I need to do something for him.

Hope it works out without any damage to your limbs
Make sure to pull the skin taut on his hip before you start shaving at the base of the mat, to avoid catching the skin.
Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Are you sure there isn’t a sore under the mat? I would be careful shaving it until you are sure there is nothing underneath that has causes it to mat…like an oozing sore.

 

[Denver & Magic (GA)]

Are you sure there isn’t a sore under the mat? I would be careful shaving it until you are sure there is nothing underneath that has causes it to mat…like an oozing sore.

I don’t think so….

It acts like he sat down in something and then it got the fur all clumped and tangled. He usually sleeps on that side so I didn’t know there was an issue until I was petting him and felt the knot.

 

[Denver & Magic (GA)]

Hope it works out without any damage to your limbs
Make sure to pull the skin taut on his hip before you start shaving at the base of the mat, to avoid catching the skin.
Good luck, and keep us posted!

Well…. The clippers successfully removed the matted hair. He did end up having a small tear under it. It’s like it pulled so hard it tore the skin.

I cleaned it up and it’s healing and he seems to like what I did so I’m taking that as a huge win.

Once it gets healed I’m going to trim him down all over and give him a good bath. The hair that came off was hard as dried glue so it couldn’t have felt very good.

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Well…. The clippers successfully removed the matted hair. He did end up having a small tear under it. It’s like it pulled so hard it tore the skin.

I cleaned it up and it’s healing and he seems to like what I did so I’m taking that as a huge win.

Once it gets healed I’m going to trim him down all over and give him a good bath. The hair that came off was hard as dried glue so it couldn’t have felt very good.

Yay! That IS a huge win, great job
I'm sure he feels so much better now and is thankful for the intervention!

It's not uncommon for mats to cause bruising and tearing or sores on the skin, especially in older cats whose skin is even more fragile. The hair just pulls and pulls with every move.
Senior cats often don't groom as well as they used to and therefore tend to become greasier, which in turns contributes to the fur matting faster and tighter, so your idea to also give him a good bath later is right on the money. A good scrub will go a long way, and there are tons of resources online to learn how to shave difficult areas safely (like armpits, belly, etc.).

Would love to see a before/after when you take the plunge!

 

[Denver & Magic (GA)]

Magic is now ‘mostly’ shaved and all of the matted fur is gone. He ended up having another small tear just up from his tail. Poor thing had to have been miserable.

He’s now official done with me - for at least today.

Next step is going to be a thorough bath. But I’m going to give him a few days.

The cut isn’t as even as I’d like it to be but it serves its purpose…. He’s not going on a date or anything

 

[Virginie & Chewie (GA)]

Great job! He’s going to be sooo much more comfortable… I think you’re wise to wait a bit for the bath

 

[Lisa and Witn (GA)]

If he is not cleaning himself, you should start brushing him a couple times a day to keep the mats from developing. I use a slicker brush for my cats and they love it. I use a brush similar to this https://www.amazon.com/cleaning-she...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==