The cats has big mats of hair forming under his neck, Last year they were under his armpits
he is a very mellow cat and these formed very quickly. He does let me brush him and seems to enjoy it. I don't know if the unusually cold weather we are having has anything to do with this as it doesn't happen during the summer.
Anonymous
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It's a pain to deal with matted cat hair and I can only imagine how much worse it is for the poor cat! I have very gently cut mats out of my cat's fur. I do it when he's relaxed and sleepy. I also put my fingers in between his skin and the mat to avoid cutting him. If the mats are really bad, you'll need to take the cat to a groomer. Get a brush and help your cat get used to regular brushing especially in those difficult to reach places.
Dancin Away
I have a long-haired Himalayan with this problem if I don't brush him a lot. Even with brushing, there are areas around his legs and tummy that he doesn't allow me to brush. I found the best way is to use a small comb for little problem areas, or shave him down if his whole coat is a mess. Obviously, take the cat to a groomer if you can not safely do this yourself. I don't recommend using scissors as it is hard to get close enough to the coat without actually cutting skin, a lesson I learned the hard way. Good luck!
M W
The safest way to remove them would be to take the cat to a groomer - that way you don't get scratched or bitten. It sounds like you need to groom your cat on a more regular basis. I would start combing his fur at least once a week. Having mats of fur has to be painful, and is not a responsible way to maintain your cat.
rmbrruffian
DO NOT use scissors to cut mats off a cat (or dog). I can't count how many cats we had to sew up because the owners tried to use scissors to remove mats and seriously cut the cat.
Sarah S
oh goodness. i have two longhairs and i feel your pain. one of them LOVES being shaved, weird i know. he is too big to scratch/lick/clean a lot of his body, so i guess its the feeling he likes. for a long time i put him on my lap and pet him while i worked on the mats with scissors. i would only do this if you are very close to a cat, as you are using scissors.
my other cats hates being brushed or shaved or anything. impossible to do. her old owners took her to chow hound or the vet to have her shaved. a lot of long hairs get the lion cut once a year to prevent long term problems. they are professionals, so i reccomend that.
there are special metal brushes that they sell at every pet store. there are different ones made for every cat of every kind. (those that like it, those that hate it, very long hair, medium hair, etc)
good luck!