Aw, Lavinia, bet you are feeling much better now, pretty gal! Yes, I see the "boots" Elyse mentioned too! How fashionable!

Good job giving her a hand with the grooming, Pat. Was she nervous, did they say? I had to take my Crystal in for the first time in her life about 2 months back. She is short haired, but such a pudgy gal she can't reach much of her back, and it was that spiky ridge as you described. I used Bach's Rescue Remedy before hand to help calm her, and she did well!

Cats constantly secrete oils into their coat, and they groom to spread the oils and keep the fur nice. (I didn't know this, had to ask my vet). When they can't groom themselves, the oils build up in one place and cake with skin flakes (which are normal, we humans are also always dropping skin flakes, no a problem in itself). Don't know if you knew what the cause of it was, this was all new to me.