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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Matted long hair cat

56 replies

StrawberryFizz26 · 22/02/2021 23:03

I've noticed over the past week or so a few matts on my big fluffy ginger boy, I've managed to get most out by gentle brushing but he's got quite a big one on either side, kind of in the middle of his body and just down from his back.

I've been looking on line at brushes to remove them but I'm worried they are too big.

I feel terrible, and will defo be upping his grooming routine. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove them?

I'll be googling local cat groomers tomorrow too.

Pic of him in his new fave sleeping spot, the dogs cage Smile

Matted long hair cat
OP posts:
dementedpixie · 23/02/2021 22:33

@StrawberryFizz26

dementedpixie why the hell did they leave it so late to let you know? They must have known he'd been for a test.
Don't know. I was bloody raging. She didn't even phone, she's sent me a message that I had to stop and read. I was crying on the way home as I knew the cat had thrown up by then and the journey had been for nothing
Gaagaa · 23/02/2021 22:51

OP, please don't use scissors- I tried to cut some of the mats from my cat's fur last week (having got away with it before), I must have accidentally cut her, didn't realise until I saw a wound. £170, one sedation, several staples, a shaved tummy and two vet trips later she is fine, but I've learnt my lesson. Vet said to use special clippers etc if can't comb them out

dementedpixie · 23/02/2021 23:06

I have wee round ended scissors for some bits but am always incredibly careful not to hit skin.

MissPessyMistic · 23/02/2021 23:15

We use a Furminator, they are brilliant. They come in 2 sizes and 2 lengths, long haired and short haired. You can really tell the difference when you use them, they do a great job. We use that twice a week, once for an all over, undercarriage and all. We use a regular brush every other day.

When we first got him we had never had a long haired cat before and I really underestimated how much more grooming he would need, so he did end up with some right doozies on his chest. Hubby held him still while I nipped them with small scissors. That very much depends on your cat though (he was a bit miffed but he didn’t struggle), vet sounds like a good shout.

George is 13 and his coat is in such good condition he could pass for much younger. Grin

Beamur · 24/02/2021 00:00

I think if you need to cut a bit off you don't need to cut close to the skin. Sometimes just cutting part of the thickish bit of the matting is enough for a brush/comb to start to work plus the cat grooming themselves. One of mine is semi longhaired and this was a tip I picked up (probably on MN)

Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 24/02/2021 07:17

I'm not going to cut him, the ones I did get with scissors were small and nowhere near his skin, these are big and close to his skin.

I'll order a furminator and up his grooming.

OP posts:
samlh · 24/02/2021 10:33

@StrawberryFizz26 I am Warrington, we have him groomed in Runcorn.

The lady we use does both dogs and cats and after a long discussion with her over the phone she decided that it was deemed a welfare issue (he was matted and we knew he was uncomfortable and it was causing distress).

x

Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 24/02/2021 12:14

samlh My home town! I don't live there anymore but my family does.
I'm about 50 mins up the M6, near Sanbdbach.
I've left a message for the people recommended upthread.
Who do you use in Runcorn?

OP posts:
MaudesMum · 24/02/2021 14:06

I've got an elderly semi-longhair with a tendency to matted fur, especially now her arthritis has started to kick in - and she's a teeny bit resistant to human contact. I've managed to get out big mats by cutting through the mats (so no danger of cutting into her skin), and then going back into whats left and starting to tug them gently open. This has worked everywhere apart from her tummy where I dare not go - but she can still reach most of those. Weirdly enough, she's started tolerating brushing a lot more recently - I think because she's started demanding to be stroked, and I start stroking and then move onto a bit of brushing - so at the moment they're not accumulating. I've also found the best brush for her is a human hairbrush - one with a sort of spiral pattern of bristles - it is also the best brush ever for getting cat fur off soft furnishings!

Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 24/02/2021 14:14

All booked in on Friday with the lady recommended in Widnes!!

OP posts:
samlh · 24/02/2021 15:22

@StrawberryFizz26 Fab that you've got him booked in :D x

Toddlerteaplease · 24/02/2021 17:34

My friends short haired but very thick coated cats have been to the groomers today.

Toddlerteaplease · 24/02/2021 17:35

@Gaagaa

OP, please don't use scissors- I tried to cut some of the mats from my cat's fur last week (having got away with it before), I must have accidentally cut her, didn't realise until I saw a wound. £170, one sedation, several staples, a shaved tummy and two vet trips later she is fine, but I've learnt my lesson. Vet said to use special clippers etc if can't comb them out
Yes I did exactly the same. I was so upset.
Toddlerteaplease · 24/02/2021 18:11

That's great OP. She's just done my friends cats. And made a lovely job of them. She's much better than my local groomer. I would take my girls to her, but it's two hours away.

Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 24/02/2021 21:57

I'm post a pic when he's done

OP posts:
Furries · 25/02/2021 03:52

Might be worth checking with your vets for future reference.

My boy (RIP) had ongoing problems which meant that roughly twice a year he would get rather messy at his rear end - and he was a very long haired cat. It would end up matting and clumping really quickly. I was always able to book him in with the nursing staff for a quick trim of any matting at all. Think it helped him in that he was going into an environment where they knew him well and it was familiar to him too.

Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 25/02/2021 21:05

furries that's a good shout. I'm going to ask the groomer what brush she thinks will suit him best and make grooming a much more regular thing. I don't want this to happen again.

OP posts:
Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 26/02/2021 19:04

Here he is! Matt free. He only had to have a couple clipped out the rest the lady managed to brush them out, he was an absolute superstar!

I'm going to get a comb & a brush and from him once a week so he he doesn't end up with anymore matts.

Matted long hair cat
Matted long hair cat
OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 26/02/2021 19:31

What a handsome beastie! You may find a daily once over is better at keeping the knots at bay. Our old girl ended up needing doing once or twice a day in her dotage!!

Beamur · 26/02/2021 23:00

My cat rather likes a brush. But I had to start super slowly, with the tiniest brush followed by Dreamies. Now she likes a 2 brush technique which allows her to chew one while I brush with the other.

EmotionallyEncumbered · 26/02/2021 23:23

He looks gorgeous. Our Siberian gets matted fur on his hip joints even though I brush him daily with both a tangle teaser and wire toothed brush, I've also tried a rake brush as mentioned by a previous poster but it doesn't work. It seems to be worse when he's malting, which is at the moment. If it gets really bad I shave him with a low-noise electric pet shaver. He looks a right state after as I only shave the areas that really need it, but I figure far more comfortable for him.

dementedpixie · 26/02/2021 23:48

What shaver do you use? I might have to learn to use one on my cat

Original poster
StrawberryFizz26 · 27/02/2021 07:50

I didn't do it dementedpixie took him to the place recommended up thread and the lady there did it. She only had to clip 2 off and didn't leave with him and bald patches!

She recommends a slicker brush and a metal comb with thin & wide teeth. Also a bit of rescue remedy in his ears which chilled him out, even more then normal.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 27/02/2021 08:07

Sorry my question about the shaver was to @EmotionallyEncumbered

Kotatsu · 27/02/2021 08:27

I have long-hairs, and they can literally get a matt overnight (girlcat adores being brushed, sometimes twice a day!), and she can still sometimes come up to me in the morning with a little matt on her neck!

The second place they both get them is kinda on their hips - not helped by girlcat liking to lie in a particular way when being groomed so one side doesn't get done as well, and because neither of them are particularly happy about people touching towards their bottoms. I have had to cut a matt out of girlcat once back there, and now just pay extra attention to it.

boy cat isn't as into grooming (doesn't hate it, just doesn't seek it out) so only gets brushed occasionally and does fine, but his hair is thicker, and a little bit shorter than girlcat so that seems to be fine. If I find a matt when stroking him I kinda pull it apart with my hands before I brush.