We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Cat - Matted Fur Problem

Options
2

Comments

  • Marg
    Marg Posts: 2,189 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Thank you Norty Rascal - 22! must be well loved & cared for to get to that age. I haven't got a small electric shaver but will bear in mind.
  • aless02
    aless02 Posts: 5,119 Forumite
    Hair clippers work too.

    Our (very!) long-haired little ol' lady has this problem BADLY because she can't really groom herself properly (combo of long hair and bad joints, I guess). We try to use a grooming comb, but she HATES it and fusses when she even sees the darned thing. The best thing is the clippers - it's hard to do it on your own, but possible - I have! Best hold most of the body in a towel/blanket, only exposing the bit you want to shave. Put the clippers at the base of the knot and slowly shave away. This is FAR better than scissors, as you can't really nick the skin if you're being careful.
    top 2013 wins: iPad, £50 dental care, £50 sportswear, £50 Nectar GC, £300 B&Q GC; jewellery, Bumbo, 12xPringles, 2xDiesel EDT, £25 Morrisons, £50 Loch Fyne

    would like to win a holiday, please!!
    :xmassmile Mummy to Finn - 12/09; Micah - 08/12! :j
  • Marg
    Marg Posts: 2,189 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Thank you Aless02 - luckily he is used to being wrapped in a towel to dry him if he comes in wet - spoilt or what? so will see how I get on - need to get clippers - Are they like haidressers clippers?
  • aless02
    aless02 Posts: 5,119 Forumite
    Marg wrote: »
    Thank you Aless02 - luckily he is used to being wrapped in a towel to dry him if he comes in wet - spoilt or what? so will see how I get on - need to get clippers - Are they like haidressers clippers?

    Honestly, I picked up cheap Wahl BASIC clippers from Argos (dunno if they are still on sale, but they were <£10 at the time). However, using the comb attachments does NOT work, so I have to use the naked blade (but they're still safe, since they're made to shave silly men's heads :P). Sit on the floor with some newspaper spread under you. Wrap the cat in a towel to keep them confined & calm. Switch on the clippers and try and shave at the base of the knot. If the knot's HUGE, then shave half off at a time...it takes some perfecting, but it worked well for our hates-to-be-held-or-confined (she was fidgety, but the towel helps loads).

    Good luck! Probably will take some trial and error to find the method that works best for YOUR cat. Clippers aren't perfect for us, but they're best thing I've tried so far!

    That link from Sppoklukey looks useful too! In fact, it's the same price as my clippers, but probably much handier for using for a cat! (smaller & no plug)
    top 2013 wins: iPad, £50 dental care, £50 sportswear, £50 Nectar GC, £300 B&Q GC; jewellery, Bumbo, 12xPringles, 2xDiesel EDT, £25 Morrisons, £50 Loch Fyne

    would like to win a holiday, please!!
    :xmassmile Mummy to Finn - 12/09; Micah - 08/12! :j
  • Waterfalls
    Waterfalls Posts: 439 Forumite
    i have just used this on my cats

    http://www.furminator.com/

    dint believe it at first but thought i would give it a go. Its amazing!!!! and really works-definately recommended it
  • i have a cat that is about 30 she has had to have all her teeth removed and has long hair so she cannot groom properly i am forever cutting bits off and washing her tail but we cope just keep up to it regularly and there shouldnt be a problem thinking of giving her a short back and sides
  • UKTigerlily
    UKTigerlily Posts: 4,702 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    i have a cat that is about 30 she has had to have all her teeth removed and has long hair so she cannot groom properly i am forever cutting bits off and washing her tail but we cope just keep up to it regularly and there shouldnt be a problem thinking of giving her a short back and sides

    30?? You'd best call the papers the oldest in the uk is believed to be one that's 26! lol Hope mine lives that long if she's in good health too
  • Word of caution to anyone contemplating the use of scissors ... I see a lot of inadvertant DIY removals of chunks of skin with the mats - this makes it a really really expensive way of removing the mats. Yeah, sure theyre quite easy to suture and heal well but it was £200 you didnt need to spend. Furminator is brilliant - my nurses introdcued me to this item last year - wahay! Mats can often be "teased" out slowly and that is what I do with my old boy who is alo arthritic and doesnt groom as well as a result.
    Garantissez-moi de mes amis, je saurai me defendre de mes ennemis
  • UKTigerlily
    UKTigerlily Posts: 4,702 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Word of caution to anyone contemplating the use of scissors ... I see a lot of inadvertant DIY removals of chunks of skin with the mats - this makes it a really really expensive way of removing the mats. Yeah, sure theyre quite easy to suture and heal well but it was £200 you didnt need to spend. Furminator is brilliant - my nurses introdcued me to this item last year - wahay! Mats can often be "teased" out slowly and that is what I do with my old boy who is alo arthritic and doesnt groom as well as a result.

    Worth knowing, Tess (Podge the cat) is almost 11 now & has arthritis in her spine, not much but abit. She's short haired but kinda fluffy so I may buy one of these to groom her with, would hate to try to get clumps out in the future even tho she's the most laid back cat I know lol
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.