Matts!

[Anakins mom]

Anyone have any hints and tips on keeping up with a LH cats coat?

Mystery, my gray long haired boy has a very soft coat that matts easily. Spring is coming and he has started to blow out his winter coat.

Myst hates to be brushed. So I can only manage to get him brushed out once or twice a week. He matts terribly inside his hind legs. So I now use the electric clippers to shave his 'britches'. He actually tolerates that pretty well.

But the other trouble spot is under his 'arm pits' where his chest and front legs meet. (As well as behind his ears.) I have been using a metal comb slide between the matts and his skin so that I can carefully cut the matts off with hairdressers scissors.

He doesn't care much for that routine and I usually end up looking like I was in with a den of lions by the time Mystery and I are done dealing with his matts.

Any hints or tips out there? I would appreciate hearing how others deal with a cranky opinionalted LH cats coat! Thanks!

[catlady1945]

My elderly medium haired cat stopped grooming herself during the hot summer last year and we had to take her to the vet to have her tummy shaved. She hated the brush we had so we were reluctant to brush her. The vet's technician recommended a silver coloured comb with one wide side and one narrower side and it works really well. It pulls off the matted fur but doesn't seem to hurt. There is also a grooming tool, which I think is mainly for dogs, but we got the one for a small dog and it doesn't hurt either, but I'm not sure how effective it is as we just got it.

[Anakins mom]

I use a silver wide toothed comb. I have seen the ones with two widths. I have also had luck with the undercoat rake I use on my German Shepherds. I have to be really carefull with it though.

I just spent the afternoon removing matts and getting my arm 'gnawed' on. *sigh* At least he looks and feels better. But I found a couple more matts that I have to remove within the next couple of days before they get bigger.

[jenluckenbach]

HI, I groom cats/dogs, and you have the right idea with the metal comb. The only better suggestions I have is 1) a narrower tooth comb or a shedding comb (one with alternating long and short teeth-my personal favorite) and 2) just pull the mat out (instead of cutting). We (at the grooming shop) never use scissors on a cat. The shaving of the belly with a clipper is a fantastic idea.

[BastetsMum]

Slicker Brushes are wonderful as well! Bastet hates being brushed but she will tolerate a once a week slicker brush that catches all the lose fur and stops her from matting under her armpits as well.

Yes short haired cats can and do get matts as well!

[Anakins mom]

Jen,
Can you explain how you pull a matt? I am serious. I know that with the smaller ones I can use the edge of the comb to loosen them and then I can comb it out. But the big ones are really frustrating and his coat is so darn soft that he can get a big one in a short time.

I have used a slicker brush on him...but it barely gets into his coat. Makes the top look great though.

I also read in one of my cat books to use talcum powder on a LH's coat. Has anyone done that? If so why and how is that done?

My other problem this time of year is static! Any suggestions?

Has anyone used a 'matt breaker' on their cats mats?

My new kitten Asia has a medium length coat. I am combing and brushing her a couple times a week as I suspect she is going to get matts if I don't.

Mystery liked being groomed when he was little...but since he has become an adult he barely tolerates it.

[jenluckenbach]

Certain types of mat breakers could work on a cat but only with extreme care. Cat skin is way more easily ripped than a dog's skin.
Most mats on a cat (vs. the type dogs get) are due to dead hair that could not be shed all the way out, onto your floor. It gets stuck in the length of the fur shaft, that is why it can be pulled out. You are not pulling out live hair. For the bigger ones use a "picking" type motion. You would be surprised at the size of a mat that will comb out (pull out) of a cat's coat. Yes, it will pull at the surrounding hair somewhat, but like the bandaid that you yank off quickly to reduce the sting, just do it fast and comfort the cat afterwards.
In my opinion, powder will just dry the coat out and make it brittle.
Static is hard to fight. But a diluted mix of a cream rinse (cat specific) and water in a spray bottle, lightly misted on the coat, might help. Truthfully, I do not bother. Once the weather changes, it is not a problem any longer.
You would be surprised at tha affect the cat's diet can have on the coat. A diet slightly higher in fat (make sure they don't gain weight) will increase the "slippery-feel" of the coat allowing the hair to shed more naturally, without getting stuck.
Let me know if all this makes any sense or if you have any more questions.

[Anakins mom]

Thanks! Makes perfect sense. I never was quite 'sold' on the powder idea...but wanted to know why it is used. Yes...his matts do pull out ok for the most part. He just really hates the pull and is quite vocal about it!

[jenluckenbach]

the powder may be used to "absorb" the oils and dirt from the coat....But it leave quite a "yucky" feel to the coat.

[Anakins mom]

Then Mystery definately doesn't need to be 'powdered'.
He is an indoor cat for the most part and doesn't get dirty. He picks up grass sometimes when I bring him out on his harness...but that is easy enough to remove. I would rather he kept his natural oils...he has enough dry skin!

Is is common for long haird cats to have a lot of flakes in their coat? He seems to have more in his coat than all my shorthairs. I was thinking that because his coat is long it traps more dry skin than the short coats do.

[jenluckenbach]

That could be the reason, but I have seen many short hairs with that dandruff. Again, a food with more fat in it does wonders for this. I have seen it with my own eyes. Also more brushing, to stimulate the skin (this time, it would be with the slicker brush) And a good bath, could not hurt.

[Anakins mom]

A bath! You would not believe what I end up looking like after giving Mystery a bath! I am soooo thankful that he rarely needs one!

Any tips on how to bath a cat without looking like I was in with a den of lions would be appreciated too!

I have been thinking about getting one of those 'gadgets' that looks like a cage on a base. Have you used one...do they work?

[jenluckenbach]

Have not used one, but at the grooming shop we think it would not be good. We believe the cat could do more damage to themselves in a metal cage. (but we could be wrong). Do you have the funds to have it done at a groomers? Cats tend to be more willing to allow a stranger do "the dirty deed". They tend to try to get away with "murder" when their "well-trained" owner tries it.