How To Treat Matted Cat Fur

Cats are very good at grooming themselves.

How to treat matted cat fur.

If her fur is bad enough that the mat is just one giant stretch of knotted hair that s a situation that probably calls for a professional as shaving her fur might be necessary. But sometimes if something becomes stuck in its fur or a cat neglects its grooming mats may form. Usually grooming keeps the fur clean and prevents fleas from taking hold. If your cat has sections of matted fur you can probably take care of the problem yourself.

Indoor only and shorthaired cats can also get mats from a buildup of dust and dander. Other conditions that can cause matted fur to appear include nutritional deficiencies parasites and stress. Once this mat occurs more fur continues to collect creating a significant mat. Keep in mind that shedding dead hair is normal and it s a process that cannot be avoided.

If you cannot untangle everything that way use a brush to gently break up the ends of the mat working inward. See our related article for much more about the causes of matted hair in cats. Often it looks as though the hair has been glued together. This can lead to dry scaly and sometimes irritated skin.

Mats are clumps of hair that have become entangled or knotted over time. When the cat isn t able to properly clean his fur all this dirt builds up and causes the fur to stick together. Really stubborn mats can be broken up with specialized mat rakes or by cutting the mat out with a pair of scissors. Mats should be taken out as soon as possible.

It is important to treat your cat quickly or he may experience more serious problems. To detangle cat fur examine the whole cat for matted fur and try to break it up with your fingers. Brushing his fur gets rid of mats and stimulates his circulation reducing dandruff and making his coat clean and shiny according to the cornell university college of veterinary medicine. When a cat s fur begins to shed the loose fur gets tangled up with the guard hair.

Matting occurs more in spring and autumn when cats are molting. Matted fur occurs more frequently in long haired cats but this doesn t mean it won t happen to short haired cats. The best way to treat and prevent matting and dandruff is by brushing your kitty daily and cleaning his fur with a damp washcloth. Despite all efforts fur can often become seriously matted.

Fur licking keeps a cat s skin healthy and stimulates sebaceous glands in their skin to produce oil to lubricate the fur. Matted fur clumps need to be removed because they re extremely uncomfortable for the cat. Bacterial infections can cause matted fur and they can also lead to health problems such as blood poisoning and shock. Skin flakes dead fur dust and skin oils cause matting.

Most mats will come out with brushing but hard mats can require extra work.