If you are the owner of a Himalayan, Persian, Maine Coon or a Norwegian Forest you are quite familiar with the fur matting and the knots they can acquire. As annoying as it may be for you, imagine how bothersome it is for poor Fluffy. Matting can cause irritation and itching to a cat’s fur and skin. In extreme cases it can actually pull the hair from the follicle, which is very painful for their tender under skin.

One important supply you will want to keep in close proximity when examining your cat for mats is a brushing comb, not a brush but an actual comb. When using a comb it thins the hair out as you brush eliminating some of the problem fur ahead of time. It does not pull hair from the root or follicle; it will only pull the hair that has already detached which is the hair that predominately causes the matting issue.

Here is a helpful way to alleviate some pain or discomfort caused by a mat in the fur. Make sure you feed your kitty first always helps. A cat that is full tends to be more of a docile animal. Once they are fed, rub and pet them all the while searching for mats. When you find one try to untangle it with your fingers. If that does not work, then you can utilize the scissors cutting through the center of the mat being careful to stop before touching skin.

It is extremely easy to nip the skin when doing this so be very attentive at all times. Once you have cut down the center of the mat, begin pulling it apart again with just your fingers and see if that has made any progress for you. If unable to detangle the entire mat, you may need to clip it out of the fur with the scissors entirely. Do not worry, it will grow back.

Always make certain that when your very furry friend becomes irritated by your search and find mission in her fur that you stop. Irritating her any further will not benefit either of you. The mat is not going anywhere and you can pick up where you left off once she calms down. A good suggestion is to pet her while she is napping, as they sleep between 13-16 hours a day this may give you more of an advantage.

A preventative step to implement when being the parent of a long haired feline is daily combing. Cats lose hair every day and they lick and clean themselves almost constantly. With this being said they are ingesting a large amount of their own hair daily, which can cause more harm than good. They do not get all of the dead hair off, and a daily combing along with their own daily hygiene ritual can only help them become mat and tangle free.

Remember to do research before adopting any feline, whether it is short or long haired. Different species or breeds require different accommodations. Especially with a long haired cat you will want to immediately begin them on a preventative hairball treatment plan and continue the daily grooming. Regardless of the season, regardless if they are indoor or outdoor pets; they all need proper grooming.

Author Bio: James Winsoar runs Microchip Cat Flaps a website that retails a unique electronic cat flap called the Pet Porte Smart Flap that works by sensing your cats pre-existing microchip implant. It only lets your cats in. Other cats are locked firmly out.

Category: Pets
Keywords: matted fur,fur matting,cat fur,cat hair,cat care,pet cat,cats