Mat shaver

Hi, my cat Gizmo got matted. He does every year, I brush him almost every day but he still gets them, and once they start, that's it! He has very long hair. I would like to get advise on what shaver would I need to perform a Lion cut. I was taking him to the Vet to do this but they always give him total anesthesia and I think it is not safe for him. He gets pretty aggressive too, he hates the Vet.
Any advise on what brand and blade would I need to shave my persian, myself.
Andis or Oster? Blade #.
Thanks a lot!

I see that you brush your cat every day so I do not understand why he gets mats at all. I thought only cats that did not get brushed (or combed) enough got mats unless they got into something. I would not want to ever shave Persi, I am hoping that his hair gets longer and longer so that it drags on the floor like the show cats you see. I know this means spending a long time each day combing him. I just do not understand how cats can get matted if they are being taken care of like this. Do you know why he is getting matted? I would be interested in knowing about this. My book on grooming says that if you spend enough time brushing them every day they will not get matted so there must be some other reason that I am not aware of. BTW, I moved to Texas from Hawaii. I miss it!

Originally Posted by Persi

I see that you brush your cat every day so I do not understand why he gets mats at all

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I believe the key is whether they are using a brush or comb. A brush doesn't get down into the hair enough, so you will still get matts.

Sorry no advise on how to DIY the shave, I would take him to a kitty groomer.

Originally Posted by missymotus

I believe the key is whether they are using a brush or comb. A brush doesn't get down into the hair enough, so you will still get matts.

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Sorry no advise on how to DIY the shave, I would take him to a kitty groomer.

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That is what I was thinking as I use a steel comb to groom Persi.

Well, Gizmo has a persian sister, Mochi. They play all the time and I think this is the reason why he gets mats. Gizmo has light and fluffy hair. Mochi has a soft and thicker hair. I think the type of hair makes a difference too. Mochi doesn't have mats at all.

Originally Posted by missymotus

I believe the key is whether they are using a brush or comb. A brush doesn't get down into the hair enough, so you will still get matts.

Sorry no advise on how to DIY the shave, I would take him to a kitty groomer.

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Yep! That's it! The comb is the magic key! I only use a brush once in a while to fluff. Other then that, it's daily combing at my house!

As far as a shaver. I never recommend a shaver for a pet owner (scissors either). It's just too risky. And the way it sounds your cat responds to the vet makes me think it's particularly not a good idea for you to try to shave yourself. Cats have a very thin top layer of skin that is soooo easy to knick and cut. And that can leave your cat open to infection. Not to mention, giving a lion cut isn't as easy as most people think. If you decide to go that route and purchase your own shaver, please be very careful. And have someone help you. Oh yeah... and save your receipt!

Ok, thanks all for your tips on preventing the formation of mats. Will let you know how it goes when I get to that stage again.
In the meantime I will probably have to bring him to the vet. Thanks again for your help!

Good luck! I really think you're taking the right route by having the vet shave her again and then trying to prevent in the future. Sometimes all we need are the right tools!