Short matted fur problem.

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Catfan5
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Short matted fur problem.

Post by Catfan5 »

Alfie is a 7yo BSH whose fur is very thick and needs regular brushing due to excessive moulting all year round. This summer his fur has become very knotted and looks like he's been fighting! I've tried gently pulling the knots apart and combing them out with a detangle comb but they are so tight and solid it's really difficult and he gets quite angry about it. He looks like a neglected cat and I feel bad that his fur has become like this despite the grooming. His littermate brother's fur is just as thick but has no knots at all. I have the usual grooming tools ie the comb, slicker brush, zoom groom, undercoat rake etc.
any tips on how I can get Alfie knot free without resorting to shaving him will be greatly appreciated!
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Crewella
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Crewella »

Firstly, someone on here once told me to break the mats up by pulling apart from the top, almost like opening a packet of crisps, and that's a good tip - it really works. For big mats and ones I can't get to easily, I'm afraid I resort to snipping them out at the base with a pair of blunt-ended scissors. Good luck! :)
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Catfan5 »

Thanks Crewella, some of the knots pull apart but some are really tight and being short they are hard to get hold of to snip out. I'll have to persevere .. :?
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Marla »

We're in exactly the same situation with Timmy. He's very fluffy and (unlike our other cats) hates being groomed. So we didn't persevere and now he's matted in the same place.

Today we're going to try the suggestions in the "best answer" below and if that doesn't work then take him to the vet to be trimmed:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/inde ... 607AAic0Zx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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greenkitty
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by greenkitty »

I haven't used this on my own cats (no need) but I've heard from another forum that a tangle teezer brush works really well, they're quite gentle and most cats really enjoy being brushed with them. It's a human brush and I think you can buy them in places like Boots.
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Catfan5
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Catfan5 »

Thanks for the your replies. Alfie's fur is so dense that even the detangle comb can't get right into it properly. All my cats, long haired and short have no matts due to a daily comb-through when they come in. Alfie hates it so I've obviously not kept an eye on his matts getting worse.
Thanks for the link Marla.
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by MarkB »

I think sometimes the only thing you can do is start with a clean slate and then do maintenance. We had a cat with long, fine fur (Lazarus, who we lost to a tumour earlier this year) his fur would matt almost overnight. No brush will get rid of 'dreadlocks' so I had to shave them out and try to do daily maintenance.It was still a battle, but a lot easier.

I have some small clippers that made it easy. They are called Oster Artisan. I paid £40 for them, although the seller I bought them from has been showing them as out of stock for months. I have seem them for around £70. I paid £50 for a groomer to do him at the beginning and just dealt with it myself after that, so it was money well spent.
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bobbys girl
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by bobbys girl »

Just a thought, but how is his health in general. the reason I ask is because your photo reminded me of our boy Tommy. I can always tell when he is not feeling too good, his coat goes the same way.

He likes being stroked and I have found that my gardening gloves (with latex palms and fingers) work wonders at gently pulling out some of the clumps of fluff. Though you do end up with fluffy gloves! :D
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Catfan5 »

Hi Mark, did you clip out the matts or clip all the fur off? Another of our cats who came to us last year with badly matted long fur was shaved at the vets. She had a lion cut which she needed but she has had behavioural issues since with stress and spraying. We thought when her fur grew back she would go back to her normal self but she hasn't. I'm reluctant to do this with Alfie, as he would need his sides and rear end clipped and might end up with similar issues to Bailey.
Hi bobbys girl, I use similar gloves on my other short haired cats and it works well but they don't have much effect on Alfie's coat apart from removing surface fluff! I have wondered if it is health related. He has been staying close to me lately and been more affectionate than usual which can be a sign for him not feeling a hundred percent..
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by MarkB »

I only clipped the matts out, right against the skin. It didn't bother him and there were no accidents in 4 years. It cut matts out so easily. I always used to give a good brush afterwards to get any undercoat out.

The clipper I have is 1/2 the size of regular clippers and rechargeable. Also they are pretty quiet.

I used them once in a while now. Domino is a huge cat and he can't reach the base of his back. I had to clip out the matts a couple of months back, but have been brushing him every few days to avoid any more matts.

I think this is the best brush going http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mikki-Ball-Pi ... 3ab026899f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Catfan5
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Catfan5 »

Thanks Mark for the info and link. A trip to the vet for a check up followed by a groomer will be the next step, probably less annoying for Alfie than my pulling and fiddling with his fur! I've looked at the Oster clippers online, it's hard to tell which are smaller and more suitable for cats though?
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by MarkB »

The model I have is called Artisan. They call it a trimmer rather than a clipper - about 1/2 the size of standard clippers.

I bought mine from this link. I recommended them to someone last year and they were showing as out of stock then, so I would assume they don't have them any more. http://www.easyanimal.co.uk/oster-artis ... e1Dls4ylpQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also used a product called Kool Lube with them, with lubricates, cools and disinfectants the blades in one. It costs about £8, but altohugh I used it a lot, I still have a bit left 5 years on, You can use standard clipper oil, but I remembered reading that it is poisonous.

There are other brands of trimmers, but I haven't tried them. The only other one I bought was a cheap Wahl trimmer and it was as good as useless.

There are a few sellers on eBay that sell the Artisan cheaper, but they are shipped from theUS, so I don't know if they are set different for US voltage. I'm not sure about things like that.

PS - The Artisan is sold as human trimmers as well as being for animals :) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxnFBamd4MQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by MarkB on Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Catfan5
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Re: Short matted fur problem.

Post by Catfan5 »

ok, thanks again for the useful info :)
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