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Matts in fur. (Mats?)

post #1 of 16
2/26/07 at 4:26pm
Thread Starter 
Pippin, my kitten, is half Maine Coon, so we brush her at least once a day.

But, she gets mats (matts? ) in her fur often.


Is there any way to prevent her getting them, or get them out without cutting them out?
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post #2 of 16
2/26/07 at 4:53pm
Hi and welcome to TCS. I'm not surprised your kitty still gets mats even though you're brushing her every day. I would suggest a comb over a brush. It gets more fur out. Use short strokes starting at the ends of the fur and work your way in toward the skin. I also will recommend the FURminator. It's a deshedding tool that gets the undercoat out. I recently got one and love it on my Persians. But a comb will do if you don't want to go with the FURminator. Baths help if you use a nice conditioning cat shampoo. Keeps the fur silky and the mats don't form as easily. And if you do get mats, they'll come out easier.
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post #3 of 16
2/26/07 at 5:35pm
I was going to post this very question. My parents have a half maine coon (we think thats what he is) who has chronic fur lumping problems. The maine coon excretes an oily sort of substance from their skin that serves to waterproof the topcoat and gives it that unique texture, but I think that thier cat maybe has some sort of glandular problem. They say no matter how much brushing they do, the clumps always come back. A friends cat had the same thing going on, but was a shorthaired variety.
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post #4 of 16
2/26/07 at 5:42pm
long haired cats often need brushing everyday to prevent them. Matts can actually be painful, they pull at the skin. Basically like getting your hair pulled. kinda strange about your friends short haired cat (though one of mine had a couple really bad matts when i got her & she is short haired) Shored haired cats really only need a brushing about once a week, even if it's a quick one with a slicker brush. Also you might want to try a comb for your cat it helps going down to the undercoat where as a slicker brush might only get the top layer of the coat. did ya catch all that?
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post #5 of 16
2/26/07 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
We do brush her every day....

I will try combing her though.

But if I put her in the bathtub I'd be scarred for life. (Physically, of course. She has CLAWS! Serious ones! )
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post #6 of 16
2/26/07 at 5:48pm
The 'rents got some variety of special untangling comb that the vet recommended to them, but it doesnt seem to work well. The just had to get him a short fur cut for the second time, and he looks pretty goofy right now . Strange how different cats coats can be, Ive never had to brush my maine coon and his coat is in amazing shape, probably the nicest looking fur ive ever seen in person (of course im a bit biased). Just a thorough petting gets out all the loose hair.

With the friends cat, it was always in one spot on his back just ahead of his tail. All the rest of his fur was nice, except for that one spot, which was chronically dreadlocked down to the skin.
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post #7 of 16
2/26/07 at 5:53pm
Combing works much better then brushing. Not necessarily a shedding comb. Just a medium toothed, metal, pet comb. Just out of curiousity... I thought I heard once that Maine Coons love the water?? But anyway... if you're not prepared to bathe, you shouldn't. But definately try the comb instead of the brush. The only time I use a brush is when I want to fluff my kits up.
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post #8 of 16
2/26/07 at 6:18pm
Maybe some do, mine doesnt. He does like to play with it (running faucet, glasses, his waterdish, ect) but when he had ringworm and I had to bathe him with the medicated shampoo that didnt go so well. I read about cat baths online beforehand and took every necessary step to make it as stress free for both of us...but...well it was pretty unpleasant for everyone concerned.

Ive heard that turkish vans actually like to swim though. That'd be neat to see.
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post #9 of 16
2/28/07 at 7:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KittenKatBar View Post
Pippin, my kitten, is half Maine Coon, so we brush her at least once a day.

But, she gets mats (matts? ) in her fur often.


Is there any way to prevent her getting them, or get them out without cutting them out?
Even though you are brushing your cat daily, perhaps you should be combing her instead. Try using a steel comb like that shown below. Note that it has varying degrees of thickness between the teeth. My longhair has never had a mat or furball and I attribute it to this comb. (I do comb vigorously).

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post #10 of 16
2/28/07 at 11:32am
I have 5 long-haired kitties and I hardly ever comb them because they absolutely hate it. I don't have any matt problems though and I contribute it to the Missing Link powder that I put on their food daily. I also do not have a shedding problem like I thought I would. All 8 of mine do not shed or matt and I swear by the powder. Everyone also always mentions how soft their coats are and at the fact I never have hairball problems either. You may want to give it a try and see if it helps, it is much easier than combing in my opinion, not that I am lazy, just don't like to torture my 8 with the combs. It is a little expensive with a 1 lb. bag costing about $15., but it lasts quite a while, I believe the bag says it will last 90 days for a normal cat household not a herd like mine. I use about a bag a month, but it is worth it to have nice coats and no hairballs. I also like that it is made of all natural ingredients and enzymes so not to worry about all the artificial crud. Good luck and if nothing else try and get one of the rake style combs those seems to work best for me.
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post #11 of 16
2/28/07 at 4:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kittycorner View Post
I have 5 long-haired kitties and I hardly ever comb them because they absolutely hate it. I don't have any matt problems though and I contribute it to the Missing Link powder that I put on their food daily. I also do not have a shedding problem like I thought I would. All 8 of mine do not shed or matt and I swear by the powder. Everyone also always mentions how soft their coats are and at the fact I never have hairball problems either. You may want to give it a try and see if it helps, it is much easier than combing in my opinion, not that I am lazy, just don't like to torture my 8 with the combs. It is a little expensive with a 1 lb. bag costing about $15., but it lasts quite a while, I believe the bag says it will last 90 days for a normal cat household not a herd like mine. I use about a bag a month, but it is worth it to have nice coats and no hairballs. I also like that it is made of all natural ingredients and enzymes so not to worry about all the artificial crud. Good luck and if nothing else try and get one of the rake style combs those seems to work best for me.
Wow I'm surprised! I would have never guessed from your signature that your cats are long haired! They sure are cuties though!

Anyway.... Combing isn't torturing if you do it right. But you can't just pull a comb through a cats hair from skin to ends of hair.
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post #12 of 16
2/28/07 at 6:18pm
It is not the way that I comb them that is the problem-it is the fact that I am combing them that they hate-and my signature needs some updating-we have added a few since that one was made. Your persians are beautiful!!!!!
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post #13 of 16
3/1/07 at 9:47am
Where would you get the furminator?
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post #14 of 16
3/1/07 at 5:09pm
You can get it at Petsmart, I think I've seen them at Walgreens and probably other stores. They also have it on HSN and you can usually find them on ebay. You can also go here: FURminator
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post #15 of 16
3/4/07 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaws808 View Post
Ive heard that turkish vans actually like to swim though. That'd be neat to see.
Well here you are, Jaws. "The Swimming Cat."
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post #16 of 16
3/4/07 at 9:48am
Please dont use the Furminator on matts though, you have to get them out before you can use them. I had a shorthaired who had terribly greasy fur which constantly matted - I got the vet to brush most of them out for me when he had an annual check up, and two days later they had started to come back!! Changed him from Whiskas to a high meat content food, and it stoppped.
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