Long haired cat help please

[DangerousMouse]

My Maine Coon is badly matted - it started when he went to cattery and came out with an injury, we couldn't brush him as it was painful and now I just can't get on top of it.

He doesn't like being stroked or touched anyway, when I go near him with the comb or brush he swipes at me and bites, and he's massive, 9.5kg, so it really hurts and his bites draw blood.

I don't know how to get him clear of matts, I am doing a little each day and using a clipper, but I can't get him nice again, does anyone have any advise, or am I going to have to get him sedated to sort it out once and for all, because once he is clear of matts then I can keep on top of it.

[Mitzimaybe]

My long-haired cat came to me (from a neglectful home) with her fur horribly matted. I took her to a pet grooming parlour because I didn't want her first experience of living in my home to be painful de-matting and combing.

It gets bad if I go away when she's moulting - cat sitter will feed but not groom - but it's never got as bad as it was at first. So I'd second either vet or grooming parlour.

[tb]

We used to get our Maine Coon shaved under anaesthetic when we were in the UK. She has never ever groomed herself apart from the merest of 'cat's licks.

She had the top of one thigh bone removed when she was a year old after it had a crack in it and a dislocated hip, and we've often felt that perhaps it was the aftermath of the operation that stopped her grooming.

She's 20 next month, and still doesn't groom herself.

We've tried all sorts of things - combs with revolving teeth that are supposed to remove loose fur, but the teeth bent under the strain, sort of curry comb type of things, a furminator that didn't really work and numerous brushes and combs.

The best of the lost seems to be a furminator type grooming thing that we bought at Lidl when they had one of their pet weeks. It seems to actually remove the loose undercoat when the furminator just removed the top coat.

Sadly, she's become very very thin now and I don't think we're going to have her much longer. However, when we take her to the vet for a quick manicure she's still fast enough to attack any of the vets as she doesn't like having her claws clipped.

[DangerousMouse]

Ok, to the vets it is. He doesn't mind being brushed when it's not matted, but the injury means I can't get on top of it. He's not the friendliest cat anyway..

[RandomMess]

Sounds like a vet job to me. Be warned MILs maine coon came out looking like he had poodle lion cut he didn't seem bothered by it though tbh

[MedusaIsHavingaBadHairday]

We used to wear motorcycle gloves with Morph He was the most placid cat ever.. except for grooming. He's stand about 5 mins then that was it. Sadly being a hoofing and lazy Maine Coon her needed more than that!

I used to trip his arm pits and up his back legs each spring as that's where he matted most, then tease through the rest.. but it did take two of us!

I'm hoping to get my new Coon babies used to it now so they won't mind!

[catsmother]

I think having him sedated so you start again from scratch (no pun intended) with the grooming is the only way to go if you literally can't get close to him regularly enough to make any real difference.

I have an extremely large and long haired cat who also hates being brushed and is a terrible swiper and biter when he decides he's had enough after three seconds. The only way I can keep him from getting matted is to hand groom him as often as possible, teasing out any small knots, picking out grass seeds (and the occasional slug - urgh) etc., but even then he's not too keen on that and despite my best efforts I do still find minor mats every now and again which I have to cut out or pull out (obviously very carefully and gradually working them out from the surrounding hair so not to hurt him). It's a pain, and ironic, as all my short haired cats really enjoy being brushed but don't need to be like he does.

I would honestly be very interested in thick leather gauntlets which went up to my armpits for this exact purpose .......

[Fluffycloudland77]

The vets can sedate him and clip them off, it's less traumatic in the long run.

We had Persians, it's not unusual for long hairs to get matted. Cats don't take prisoners when you've got a brush in your hand.