Rd-homed Persian, very matted fur

[BettyBallerina]

Hi

I have recently taken in a beautiful Persian girl. I have always had cats (I’m 52 years old now so quite a few cats over that lifetime so far). But this lovely girl comes with some challenges that I need to overcome. She’s 8. Had been used for breeding and I believe has had around 8 litters. She’s spayed now. The challenges are:

Firstly, her fur is extremely matted. Can anyone advise on the best way to deal with this? I’ve bathed her, she was fine with it so I assume she’s been bathed previously but possibly not for the last few years as she was living with an owner who had her own health concerns.

Her eyes water a lot. Any suggestions on how to keep on top of this?

She doesn’t seem to be litter trained. I have a tray down but she does her business anywhere but the tray. I haven’t let her out yet but I plan to after she’s been here for a month. My other cats go out, we have a garden they love to use.

Thank you in advance fellow cat lovers!

If her coat is badly matted then the matting will need to be shaved out. If it’s just compacted then you may be able to brush it out with a comb and a mat splitter.

If she’s been bathed whilst matted and then allowed to dry naturally then I think the chances of getting the mats out are pretty slim. I’d take her to a groomer and see what they can do. If it’s really bad or she’s too scared/wriggly then she may need to go to a vet to be shaved under anaesthetic.

I've had Persian ex breeding queens, they were both damaged. But worth the effort to get them sorted out.
Go to a professional cat groomer and get them to sort her out. She may need a shave, then start again with regular brushing. Use a tangle teaser and a metal comb. Don't use a furminator. Keep her trousers and bum very short.
She may well not be used to living in a house.

Get good insurance. My late girls ran up bills of £25k. Persians are just the best cats ever. I'm on my third and fourth now. And they are wonderful. But not like real cats.

Thank you both so much. Very much appreciated.

If you can't find a groomer then the vets can shave her under sedation. Matts are a welfare issue so I would prioritise it as soon as possible.

For her eyes, you can get cat-safe wipes to keep their eyes clear. One of mine (not a Persian) has a gunky eye after a bad infection a few years ago and I just wipe them over once a day to prevent build-up. You could also use cooled, boiled water on a cotton pad.

It may not be easy to litter-train an older cat but for now I would keep her in one room with several litter trays and an easy to clean floor so that any accidents can be sorted easily. Good luck!

My cat gets clipped as he is long haired and his fur gets matted especially in winter. Either find a groomer that does cats (there aren't that many) or ask your vet as they can do it under sedation if the matts are really bad. My cat currently has a Teddy cut done by a local groomer.

Our elderly cat has one gunky eye, due to his eyelashes rubbing. The vet told us to use Saline to rinse with a cotton pad and to use Carbomer eye gel. It’s for human use, but cheap and you can get it in amazon.

I use cotton wool pads and cooled boiled water on my girls eyes. One of mine would clean them by wiping her face up my arm. 🙄 current pair are pretty good at cleaning them themselves.

Ahh she’s gorgeous. I’d book her in to the vets for a demat. They’ll sedate her and clip all the mats off, it’s much less stressful for her (the skin can be sore when matted) and then you can keep on top of her coat with a regular brushing routine. With the litter tray get a second tray with a different type of litter, she might have only used wood chip or fine grain with her previous owner so you might need to try a few to find one she’s familiar with.

Oo this thread is making me cross in the cats behalf. Why can't breeders look after their cats well. My first two shouldn't have been bread from as they had HCM. And the fourth had an untreated ear infection. Anyway, rant over. Better things are coming her way OP.

Bless her, she looks like a very cross fur hat 😍

WRT the litter tray situation try using ultraclumping litters. Rough substrate is rough on paws and they’ll avoid it. Common triggers are crystal and wood pellet litters.

I use intersand for my delicate patties paws.

@BettyBallerina please DM me if you need any Persian related advice/ Persian chat!

Thanks all. I’ve just combed her and snipped a few stray bits from her coat. She didn’t mind so I’m guessing she’s very used to being handled that way. She is so lovely and docile. I will find out if my vets offer a shaving under sedation service. She needs it. I just want the second half of her life to be happy. Thanks all!

if she is used to going to the toilet outdoors put dry soil or potting compost in the litter tray until she gets used to it.

No advice to impart, but what a stunner! Best of luck to you 💖

Most professional cat groomers will do it without sedation. Persians are extremely docile. They are not normal cats. Even my friends very grumpy Persian behaves beautifully for the groomer!

You can buy a range of handheld clippers and even scissors. I distract mine with food then carefully trim off clumps. Some groomers will do cats.

I only used thinning scissors on my car, after I once cut her neck. She was fine. I was gutted.