I brush my long haired cats daily, yet they continue to get matted fur. Help?

STOP BRUSHING THEM! Brushes should never be used on longhaired cats. They do very little to remove the loose hairs of the undercoat and can pull out and break the topcoat hairs. You should be COMBING the coat. A comb will gently remove the loose hairs of the undercoat and leave the topcoat intact. If your cats have thick undercoats then you need to comb them at least every other day all year long. If their coats are light and cottony then a weekly combing should be all that's needed.

Make grooming enjoyable. Most cats love the attention and enjoy being stroked. Start each grooming session with a some loving strokes and break up the brushing sessions with some extra love and affection if your cat gets impatient quickly.

When bathing your cat, it is important to use a shampoo specifically formulated for cats that is natural and free of harsh chemicals and artificial perfumes. There are various herbal ingredients that can help making your cat’s bath a pleasant and healthy experience. One beneficial cleaning herb is catnip. This herb is often a firm favorite with cats and its sedative and calmative effects help to reduce the anxiety of bath times.

In addition, catnip has excellent insect repellent properties and has been known to kill certain insect larvae. Chamomile is another beneficial bath-time herb which has strong calming properties and works well to promote healthy skin. Cleavers is also excellent cleansing herb which also helps to reduce dandruff and scaly skin as well as promote healthy skin and coat. Lastly, nettle can be used to encourage healthy skin and hair and its soothing properties make it excellent for soothing insect bites or skin irritations.

You may get more info here http://www.healthherbsandnutrition.com/pets/cleanc...

I really agree with the first answer. If you can afford it take him to a professional, if not you should cut out the really bad knots and try to brush out the rest. Take your time with him even if you need to take a few days. Use a comb gently to start, that'll really pick at the knots, then see if you can brush it out. Hopefully he's a tolerant cat.

Shaving is often the one way to get back to square one with that. Mats aren't fun for the cat, they pull the skin painfully tight. Your vet techs can do this very quickly and at lower cost than a dog groomer will.

Are they outdoor cats? Because a lot of the time cats get those from laying under cars and getting dirty. Or they may be able to get those from laying in places indoors like the bath tub if it still has some soap on the bottom. Cut down on brushing them, only do it once a week instead of daily. Cat's tend to clean themselves enough to get rid of it, but if they stay there for too long you may want to cut it off being careful not to cut the skin otherwise your cats won't like you for a while. Also watch your cats to see where they go to get them and eliminate the problem if posible.

Hi

Well since you brush you cats daily you could maybe change their food to something which has more nutrients and make sure they get a healthy diet daily! Also try giving your cats some pet vitamins that would improve their coats! Maybe this site i've put under sources will help!

Below is a very interesting article on cat shedding and grooming. The problem with your cats may be more involved.

slicker brush and wide tooth metal comb

Everyone knows this is clever language for what you are really trying to say. Shave your hairy... kitty.