How to Treat a Cat for Matted Fur

Grooming your cat regularly with a brush or comb will reduce the occurrence of mats in the fur. Unfortunately, many cats wind up with matted fur because they hate to be groomed. Here's how to deal with the problem, which occurs most often in longhairs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Manicure Scissors
• Hair-ball Treatment
• Kitty Treats

1. Attempt to remove the fur mat after the cat has eaten. Cats tend to be more relaxed after meals.
2. Adopt a calm and soothing demeanor as you approach the cat. Have your manicure scissors hidden in your pocket as you pet the cat.
3. Once the cat is relaxed, try to work out the fur mat with your fingers. Pull out the scissors if that doesn't work.
4. Snip down the middle of the fur mat, far from the skin. It's quite easy to snip the skin accidentally on longhaired cats, so work carefully.
5. Slowly work apart the fur mat with your fingers. Snip away a little more if necessary. Reassure the cat in a soothing voice as you snip. If she becomes upset, stop and come back to the task later.
6. Once you've worked apart the fur mat and it's clearly away from the skin, cut it off.
7. Reward the cat's cooperation with a kitty treat.
8. If the cat has several fur mats, remove them at separate times. The cat will quickly lose her patience after you remove the first fur mat. Build trust with a gentle approach and kitty treats to make future encounters easier.
9. Bring the cat to a professional groomer if the cat is unapproachable, if the fur mat is in a delicate area or if the mats are extremely tangled.
10. Purchase a hair-ball treatment at a pet store to help your cat eliminate a troublesome hair ball. Or feed the cat butter or a can of oily sardines.

Tips & Warnings

• If a cat is vomiting hair balls, it is a sign that he needs more grooming. Comb or brush Kitty at least once a week to remove excess fur, more in shedding season. Cats ingest their fur while they groom themselves.
• If a cat is retching for days, stops eating or is constipated, bring him to a veterinarian. It could indicate that a major hair ball is blocking the digestive tract.
• If a cat stops grooming, bring him to the veterinarian. This is a common sign of underlying illness.