|
You are right to be concerned. Mats on a cat are not only
unsightly, they’re also unhealthy, since you restrict
the flow of air to the skin, providing a more fertile
breeding ground for parasites and bacteria. Plus, mats
can be uncomfortable for a cat.
As is the case with so many health issues, prevention is the
best cure when it comes to controlling mats. You should
develop a daily routine of brushing and combing your
cat. Even though short-haired cats are much less likely
to develop mats, daily brushing will help reduce
shedding and hairballs. Daily grooming is also a great
form of bonding with a cat.
You should start brushing/combing slowly, talking sweetly to
the cat and petting her frequently during the process. A
slicker brush and comb can be used on shorthaired cats.
Follow three basic steps when brushing the shorthaired cat:
-
First, work the brush gently away from the skin toward the
end of the hairs, moving in the direction of the
coat.
-
Second, once this motion has been completed, move the brush
slightly against the coat to remove dead hair.
-
Finally, finish by brushing through the coat in the direction
of the hair.
Long-haired breeds should be groomed with a pin brush and a
steel wide-toothed comb. When grooming the long-haired
cat, you should start at the head and work your way
down. Part the cat’s hair and work out from the skin,
pulling the brush through the entire length of the hair.
Daily grooming will prevent the development of hard mats.
However, if you do encounter mats on your cats, do not
try to comb them out. This is not only a futile effort;
it’s also very painful for the cat. Nor should you try
to cut out mat; the risk of cutting the cat’s sensitive
skin is too great.
Instead, cat mats should be worked out with a mat splitter
and steel comb. A mat splitter has a sharp edge to cut
through packed hair, along with a protective tip to
reduce the risk of injuring the cat. You should grab the
mat close to the skin and gently comb out the hair that
protrudes from the skin. Most of the mat will be too
packed to be worked out with the comb, so you will have
to insert the mat splitter into the mat gently, pointed
slightly away from the skin and push it through the
hair, exercising great caution.
The cat should be placed on a table during the dematting
process, and preferably cradled by a family member who
is not operating the dematter. Throughout the entire
procedure everyone should praise the cat.
It’s
important to realize that the dematting process does not
have to take place overnight. A cat will find it far
less stressful to have multiple short sessions spread
out over a period of weeks than to endure an agonizingly
long work over. If a cat is severely matted, you should
consider taking her to a veterinarian.
 |
