Matted hair - long-haired cats

[RMarieClaire]

We have two Siberian forest cats. They're semi long-haired and live part out part in.

Any tips on how common it is for these cats to get matted hair, and how best to stop it?

We brush them every weekend, but find they get hair matts, between their front and back legs, that we generally have to cut out (particularly the back).

They won't let us bath them. We have some leave in shampoo but only one of them will let us put that on.

We're having a baby in 3 months and I'm worried how we'll keep up with it. We love them, but I must admit I didn't realise they'd need so much grooming! 🤦‍♀️

Once a week won’t cut it. You need to groom each day.

Can you trim their trousers to make it easier to groom? I have a persian and when she gets groomed I get her belly and trousers shaved as it's just easier.

I had to get my cat shaved to get rid of matts. I just couldn't keep on top of them and the cat ran away and hid when I took the brush out. I'm going to take him to the groomer a couple of times a year so he doesn't get like that again

This was taken the day he got shaved

A groomer twice a year won’t sort it either @dementedpixie.
You need to get your cats used to being groomed. We used bribery with our long haired cat. She was so bad to start with that the only way to groom her was to grab her and shut her in the bathroom.

My 2 cats. One was long haired!

I will keep on top of brushing this time

Keeping the hair shorter will help keep matts under control

@dementedpixie - can't help but think that looks really cute!

Vets will do a sanitary shave, if that helps?

@juneybean - we groom them ourselves at the moment. Do you get yours professionally groomed regularly. Ours are quite independent and hate the car, so we avoid taking them out unless we have to, but maybe we should bite the bullet.

@Wolfiefan - yikes. I barely even brush my own hair every day.

The boy is ok because he's a lap cat, so it's usually possible to regularly groom, but our girl is a bit more independent and while sometimes she'll basically roll over in front of us so we can have a good pamper, other times we barely see her for days on end.

@mimibunz - thanks, that's good to know. I think we'll try that and then try get back on top of it. It's going to be so tricky with a newborn 🤦‍♀️

Our semi long haired needed twice daily grooming as a minimum in her later years. She had arthritis and couldn’t groom herself.
Short haired cats need much less grooming but anything longer haired needs much more frequent attention. Little and often.

Thanks all. We have a check up next week so I'll talk to the vet but I think we're going to get them shaved in May anyway, as they hate the hot weather in the summer, which would give us a clean slate.

I understand, I have a 9 week old and we have a rag doll cat who needs grooming AT LEAST every other day. It really is a case of set some time aside to it like I do with doing the laundry or hoovering. It's an essential that I know will get out of hand if not kept on top of. Good luck OP!

I love the shaved cats! How much does that cost you guys?
I cut the matts out of my long hair. Cheap & quick. He has a few bald spots going, I won't lie.

In more positive news, cat fur is great for starting fires (wood burner).

My long haired Persians have their armpits, trousers, belly and bum trimmed by a professional groomer about once every 3 months. In the meantime i ho over with a tangle teaser every few days and a metal comb/grooming take every week.

I paid £35

My long hair boy is currently quite matty. He won't let me brush his tummy so although I brush other area nearly every day, there are hidden clumps. I am having to snip some off here and there but soon he's going to the vet to have his belly shaved for summer. He's gorgeous but such a grunger. Everyday grooming is the only way but most hate it especially underneath

I used to have a groomer that came to my house. But she moved further south so I was to far away. She's based in Northamptonshire, but covered a large area if that's any help.

I paid £50 for Magic last time. But I won't go back there. Another one I found is £30. But I go to her.

I take her to a groomer 4 times a year for a wash and shave, but try to keep on top of it myself the rest of the time. Tbf our groomer was her breeder so knows Persians.

@EmperorBallpitine we find the yummy hardest too. Whenever I try to do it, they just want to play with the brush 🤦‍♀️

One of my cats is a NF/ Maine coon mix, a black and white tuxedo one. He has all the MC tufts on his ears and paws. Paw tufts are currently inch and a half long.

I have been using a tangle teaser for him for years, only thing that he will tolerate. In fact if you pick it up he will run to you to be brushed. He hated cat brushes with a passion, would literally attack you if you even held it near him.

He stands in the position he wants to be brushed in, or sometimes he will lay down. This is how I do it. I start with the top of the head and ears, lots of time on the ears, then top of head and under the chin, perhaps a bit more on the ears, then do down the front of legs (not chest) then do the ears again, then to the back and his tail, then some more ear work because by this point he is sitting down. Then I do the tail, which is done in one swoop. Then more ears. Then the belly he will lay on his side for, but this will take Dreamies to really get in there and behind the back of his legs. Might have to do the ears some more and he is normally dropping to sleep by this point, maybe some more on top of his head. But after about an hour or so, he is normally all brushed. And he sleeps. Repeat every other day.

So yeah, try a tangle teaser....