Why you don't de-mat your cat with scissors

[columbine]

http://www.sunspotdesigns.com/c/pix/smudge/ouchouchouch.jpg
That's $500 of surgery you're looking at there, plus meds, plus no end of anguish. :( No matter how apparently simple the job, go to a groomer.

Love, Columbine (who got to look at the doc's PRE-SURGERY photos too - very gruesome. :eek: )

[Freedom]

OH NO!! Is that one of YOURS?

[columbine]

OH NO!! Is that one of YOURS?

Yes, that's Smudge's poor little behind. I thought, well, he's got a mat here, I'll just scissor it off. He squeaked and ran off, then got right back to begging for food in less than a minute, but when I looked at it, it was ugly. I had phenomenal luck in getting him into surgery the same day I called (Friday the 13th, no less), and he got through without a hitch (although he definitely thinks his pain meds taste awful!) But I have a VERY impressive vet bill (via emergency credit card) to keep me from forgetting any time soon, even if the scare it gave me ever wore off.

Love, Columbine

[krazyaboutkatz]

Poor Smudge.:( I'm sorry that this happened but I'm glad that you were able to get in to the vets for surgery very quickly. I hope he'll feel better soon and heal up quickly.

[Killearn Kitties]

Poor Smudge. :( I'll bet you got the fright of your life too.

The same thing happened to us once. Jessica had a mat that we thought we could easily snip out. We did get the mat out, but in the process gave her the tiniest nick. It really was a small nick, but seemed to open up afterwards. It was a Saturday night and entailed a call to the emergency vet. Poor Jess got several stitches.

She feels your pain, Smudge!

[columbine]

He's also going to get the Human Comb a lot more often (he'll put up with his own brush & comb, but for some reason he'll actually sit still for being combed with a plain old oversize plastic comb). I think I was slack about brushing him because it entails chasing him around the house bent over, so the Human Comb it is.

Now, to get that last dose of painkiller into him. Maybe some cheese on the syringe...

Love, Columbine

[Killearn Kitties]

Very similar to us. There was a bit down at the base of her tail that I don't think Jessica could reach when she was grooming. Jessica raised at least two litters as a feral mother, so she never came quietly! After the snip incident though, we caught her fairly regularly for a brush. Always involves a big chase and a lot of hissing and growling, but we no longer have to wrap her top half in a towel. Progress!

[Freedom]

Oh Smudge! So you didn't feel badly when it happened, you just returned begging for food? WELL! Don't let mom know, milk this for everything you can!

I am sure you feel terrible about this; I know I do when I nick any of my crew. Sounds like Smudge is going to recover more quickly than you will. No to mention that bill staring at ya.

[columbine]

Smudge did manage to gack down (under protest) his pain meds last night, so he slept well. At least wine tastes good! He got his last yucky dose this morning, along with the tasty antibiotic tuna drops, and is now sitting placidly in front of the fan. Which isn't on. He's high.

With things resolved, I'm going with a friend out to George's Island, to check out the fort and a Native American festival and see what interesting stuff we can find to photograph. Smudge isn't disturbing his stitches (they're on his bum, so there's no way he can whack at them with a hind toe) so he doesn't have to wear the cone the vet gave me. VERY glad I'd arranged to have the weekend off.

Love, Columbine

[pomtzu]

Aawww - poor Smudge. Hope you're feeling better soon - altho with your pain meds, I guess you're feeling no pain! :eek:

I've used nice sharp scissors to attack mats on the dogs with no problem, but it's easier to get them to be still, unlike a cat. Fortunately, I only ever had one cat that would get mats, and he was a very mellow fellow, and I could de-mat him without too much trouble other than an occasional little nick. :p :D

[Medusa]

Oh I'm so sorry! I can only imagine how you must feel but I think most of us have gone the scissors route for mats. I know I have but ended up taking Pidge in for a lion cut. Smudge knows how much you care for him and I'm sure he isn't holding a grudge. No Smudge grudge. (Sorry, couldn't resist it.) :)

[Catlady711]

Poor baby. :( Hope he gets healed up soon.

That's why I'm a big fan of electric clippers instead of scissors. I even have a battery operated small one at home for the occasional tangle I can't brush out.

[Cataholic]

I did this to Lilycat's Butters. OMG, did I just feel as bad as humanly possible.

I am so sorry this has happened to one of your's....recovery quickly, please!!

[columbine]

Smudge is in good spirits, and loves his amoxicillin Tuna Drops - I have to squirt it into the palm of my hand for him to lick up, as if I try to squirt it right in his mouth, he gets so enthusiastic that it splatters everywhere! He'll be getting his stitches out next Tuesday. The vets shaved some more mats off his tummy and cut his nails too, while he was out. I'm sure the latter was only sensible, as a tech's going to take his stitches out without benefit of a sedative. He's currently snoring cute little kitty Zs in his snooze basket under the desk. :love:

Love, Columbine

[Anikaca77]

Oh my goodness....I've been known to use scissors before...especially when our long hair kitties get poo stuck around their bums...but I will be super careful next time....Prays that Smudge heals quickly.

Melissa

[columbine]

Now he's sick to his stomach. :( Doc says discontinue his antibiotics; he's probably had enough and that's probably what's disagreeing with him. It's very weird for my little munchkin to not have the munchies!

Love, Columbine

ETA: Yep, I discontinued it and he ate, at least a little! Little puzzles, they are. It's so satisfying when something works to make a little one feel better.

[jenluckenbach]

I am SO sorry that you had to go through this. :(

I know that you meant well.

I tell anyone who will listen to me NEVER use scissors on a cat. I have been a pet groomer over 20 years now, and if I don't feel it is safe, it is NOT safe.

Smudge will heal and forgive you. So now you need to forgive yourself.

[columbine]

His "weird haircut" has mostly grown out - and I've finally found a comb that will lift out the tangles before they tighten into mats. It's called an Undercoat Comb, and has alternating long and short teeth. It also dislodges some of his omnipresent dandruff, which I think the tangles were forming around. So as long as I comb him regularly with this one, I should be able to prevent mats from happening in the first place. His fur is just so dense and fuzzy that the slicker brush, shedding blade, and even the human comb wouldn't reach far enough into his coat to find the tangles.

Love, Columbine

[jenluckenbach]

the undercoat comb you speak of is EXACTLY what I use. I use that comb at work and at home, it is truly the best thing I have found.

[columbine]

And now that I've dislodged all of the incipient mats, and the weather's dried out a bit, I can usually get him to stand still long enough for a sufficient combing by holding the slicker brush for him to itch his face on. At first he didn't like the undercoat comb because it had entirely too much work to do!

Love, Columbine

[cassiesmom]

I'm just re-reading this thread from 2010 on mats. Cassie has started to get clumps of fur at the base of her tail. I just combed out another one this morning. She's been surprisingly good about letting me comb her enough to wiggle them loose. I found two great ideas in this thread: 1) try a human comb; and 2) get an undercoat comb. I have a comb with wide and narrow-spaced teeth and she has never minded being combed. I thought I read a tip somewhere on PT about trying a bit of Vaseline to help loosen up a very tight mat, but I could very well be wrong.

Edited to add: Columbine-- Cassie would give "cheek bumpies" to your slicker brush all day long if you'd like to hold it for her :rolleyes:!