Sylvester Is Getting Matted Again Despite My Combing Him!

[susanm9006]

My girl is a semi feral who doesn’t do a great job of grooming herself and also doesn’t allow me to brush her. So a couple times a year when I see her developing mats I capture her and we go into the shower stall. Because it is a small confined space she doesn’t have anywhere to run and I am able to get a Furminator brush through her to take out mats and loose fur. I bring in some wet food or treats to distract her let her focus on food instead of me brushing her.

 

[les26]

Make absolutely certain that Deb is okay with this assignment before you presume upon it. Just a bit of free marital advice from someone who's been married for over 40 years....

Margret

Lol, yes she is fine with it and this morning when I got up she greeted me with the GREAT NEWS "I got some more of that knot of of Sylvester!" She said she just started working on him while he was eating, said he tolerated it a bit then didn't like it so she moved his bowl away a bit, he followed and she just kept working that metal brush that has a "V" shape to the bristles side to side as a vet tech once told her and more came out, a little at a time and it will all come out. I hugged her and said "God Bless you, thank you for helping my baby boy!!!!" as this really works my nerves on so many levels, I don't want him getting painful mats again and don't want to have to take him to the vet, let's put that painful experience off as long as possible!!!!!

"WAY TO GO DEBBIE!!!!!"

 

[les26]

I think it also might be a bit of payback to me (not that I'm looking for it) but I am always the one who has to take them to the vets, she can't handle that so maybe by her looking like the bad guy to Sylvester she figures she is balancing the books lol!!!

 

[Margret]

Actually, she isn't looking like the bad guy to Sylvester; if she were he wouldn't be allowing it.

I suspect that Debbie has been as concerned about this as you have and is just delighted that she's found a way to fix it. It's a good thing for a cat to have two (or more) loving humans.


Margret

 

[les26]

Actually, she isn't looking like the bad guy to Sylvester; if she were he wouldn't be allowing it.

I suspect that Debbie has been as concerned about this as you have and is just delighted that she's found a way to fix it. It's a good thing for a cat to have two (or more) loving humans.


Margret

Yes she knows what he represents to me and how I feel about him and knows that it has been bothering the heck out of me so she figures that she gets the mats out of some of the others so she can try him too!

 

[les26]

Got a little more off of him today, he was laying so regally on the end table with his front legs draped over the sofa so I sat on the sofa and scratched his neck and talked to him while she got the mat comb out and worked on him. He tolerated it but slowly his ears started to go back and his eyes widened, then after a bit he jumped down but she said we almost got them all from his back!!! She gave him treats and after that she went to work, but I noticed he seemed happy, was flitting around and seemed happy almost like he felt better and I pray knows we are trying to help him not torture him lol! The little one under his neck will be a challenge though, last night I was laying on the floor with him scratching his neck and he was happy, then every once in awhile I tried to break it up a bit with my nails, he took it for so long then gave me a gentle swat, but we'll have to have me hold him and slowly and gently have her work his neck with the brush.

But the ones on his backside are just about gone, she thinks one more combing and it's out, now I just have to make sure he lets me continue to comb him every other day!!

 

[les26]

Deb just keeps working on him, he lets her pretty much, maybe he is getting used to it and also understands that we are not trying to hurt him only help him get those painful knots out, way to go Debbie!!!!

Trying to avoid going to the vet at all costs, we'd both be stressed AGAIN lol!!!!!

 

[les26]

Well it just keeps getting better, I held him and Deb combed out a knot under his chin by his white fur, big white knot came out thank God! He was pretty good too, he was captive since I was holding him but he didn't freak out and rip half my arms off, he was calmer, I think he might be starting to put two and two together and realizes that the mats and knots are coming out, he feels better and we aren't trying to hurt him. I hope so, as we will have to keep this going and try to train him to get brushed/combed and mats out if we find any. I gave him catnip afterwards, seems to take his mind off of it, he gets ramy on it lol!!!

The brush that Deb likes the most has metal prongs on it in an inverted "V" shape, says that one works better than the combs so we use it.

I just wonder how he didn't get them from where he lived before? I know he was outside sometimes (I can't bear to think of that, outside in a busy part of Allentown, PA.) so maybe his fur was wetter from the rain and snow? And when I rescued him he hardly had any fur on his back near his tail, so flea bitten it brought tears to my eyes, but not no more, he has lush flowing hair, wish I could say the same thing lol!!

I am so so happy that we can get a handle on this, they seem to spring up fast but we are trying to keep ahead of the game!

 

[Margret]

1. What does "ramy" mean? I'm not familiar with it.
2. I believe you've answered your own question. He probably did get badly matted before. So badly that his fur would catch on things and rip off, or out. Poor baby. No wonder he doesn't like being brushed!

I think you're right that he's realized you're trying to help. More to the point, you're not just trying, you are helping. He must feel much better with the mats gone. It sounds like Sylvester is extremely intelligent. Jasmine lets me brush her, but she hasn't figured out yet that she feels better when I do, and Jasmine is a veritable feline genius - she's figured out that when her claw gets stuck in fabric it's better to retract the claw than to pull!

I'm very glad that Debbie has found a brush that works well for Sylvester.

Margret

 

[les26]

1. What does "ramy" mean? I'm not familiar with it.
2. I believe you've answered your own question. He probably did get badly matted before. So badly that his fur would catch on things and rip off, or out. Poor baby. No wonder he doesn't like being brushed!

I think you're right that he's realized you're trying to help. More to the point, you're not just trying, you are helping. He must feel much better with the mats gone. It sounds like Sylvester is extremely intelligent. Jasmine lets me brush her, but she hasn't figured out yet that she feels better when I do, and Jasmine is a veritable feline genius - she's figured out that when her claw gets stuck in fabric it's better to retract the claw than to pull!

I'm very glad that Debbie has found a brush that works well for Sylvester.

Margret

"Ramy" means agitated, nervous, excited, not calm! We can hold him and do things to him but then I see the tail whipping and the eyes bulging and the ears pinned back and the squirming and I tell Deb "hurry up, he's getting ramy!!!" lol!!! And a few seconds after that he worms his way out of my arms to the floor and runs away lol!

Yes, Tuxedos are supposed to be some of the most intelligent cats from what I've read, he is no dummy that's for sure! I can't believe how he and some of the others can sense when we are trying to get them to do their claws, clean them etc., they just sense it and run away!

 

[les26]

Last night I woke up to go to the bathroom and checked on my boy, he was laying on the sofa and when I was petting him I noticed a big mat clump on his side near his front left leg where his hair is really straggly, so I kept trying to comb it out; he left me do it for a bit then ran, so this morning I actually contacted Cindy Wenger who is a pet communicator, we have used her with great results before and I told her can she please connect with him and tell him we are trying to help him not hurt him. She did, and said he is saying that he can feel the intensity of my energy when combing him so I need a more calm approach, and also going over the same spot over and over drives him nuts, do it and move on, and she said "he's a trip!", and that he also likes when we tell him how handsome he is while combing him lol! Tonight, he greeted me at the door, let me comb him pretty good, and just seemed "different" and so did I, like we now know how the other feels. I know some would be skeptical of this, but she has proven to me and others many times that she is the real deal, knowing things there is no way she possibly could know if she wasn't genuine!

So hopefully we can now keep him from getting too upset and avoiding us and get some knots out!!

 

[les26]

Tonight I remembered that we had bought a dematting comb awhile back that had more of almost razor like teeth on it, but not real sharp, I rubbed my finger back and forth on it and didn't get cut, so I tried it on him and it worked REALLY good at getting right into the mat and splitting it apart and even got one out! But it will catch and pull at times so I must go easy with it, when they pull even a bit is when he says "that's all" and jogs away, but it worked well and I got one out and let him see and smell it hoping that he puts the idea together! I asked Deb why she didn't use this one and she thought it would cut him and the others but obviously it doesn't so I will try it again, not now as he has had enough lol!

 

[Kat0121]

Tonight I remembered that we had bought a dematting comb awhile back that had more of almost razor like teeth on it, but not real sharp, I rubbed my finger back and forth on it and didn't get cut, so I tried it on him and it worked REALLY good at getting right into the mat and splitting it apart and even got one out! But it will catch and pull at times so I must go easy with it, when they pull even a bit is when he says "that's all" and jogs away, but it worked well and I got one out and let him see and smell it hoping that he puts the idea together! I asked Deb why she didn't use this one and she thought it would cut him and the others but obviously it doesn't so I will try it again, not now as he has had enough lol!

As the mom of 2 long haired cats I understand what you are going through. I brought Lilith and Sophie to a groomer (the only one in town that takes cats) and Lilith got us banned from there with her bad behavior. She's 5 pounds soaking wet and took down 3 grown men. Seriously. They could not handle her.

Anyhow, after that fiasco, I realized I was on my own. If they start to mat, I use this tool. It is cheap but worth it's weight in gold. It really works.

They have changed the look of it a bit (just the color and the handle a bit) and the packaging (it's NOT just for dogs) but it really does work. If anything happened to mine, I would replace it in a second

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HCJX2C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Furballsmom]

If my big guys belly hair gets too long it mats like crazy and he hated me messing with the mats. He sleeps pretty deeply so I had to start cutting them while he was sleeping, while watching for him to wake up, and then for him to start with the irritated eyes and swats. You're right, they do know we're helping even if they hate it at the same time. Bless your hearts for working with him!!

 

[les26]

As the mom of 2 long haired cats I understand what you are going through. I brought Lilith and Sophie to a groomer (the only one in town that takes cats) and Lilith got us banned from there with her bad behavior. She's 5 pounds soaking wet and took down 3 grown men. Seriously. They could not handle her.

Anyhow, after that fiasco, I realized I was on my own. If they start to mat, I use this tool. It is cheap but worth it's weight in gold. It really works.

They have changed the look of it a bit (just the color and the handle a bit) and the packaging (it's NOT just for dogs) but it really does work. If anything happened to mine, I would replace it in a second

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HCJX2C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I know it isn't funny when you are going through it, but your story is hilarious and I certainly CAN see a little cat being a terror like that lol! We have a mat comb like that that Deb uses and likes, but if you scroll down your link where it says "related products" the mat remover with the purple and black handle is the one I used last night that worked great, but I have to be careful because it seems to want to pull and he doesn't like that, so I'll have to find the balance of how much pressure to use on him.

Thanks, and I certainly can understand your situation too ha ha!

 

[les26]

If my big guys belly hair gets too long it mats like crazy and he hated me messing with the mats. He sleeps pretty deeply so I had to start cutting them while he was sleeping, while watching for him to wake up, and then for him to start with the irritated eyes and swats. You're right, they do know we're helping even if they hate it at the same time. Bless your hearts for working with him!!

This also is funny, you are lucky that you can at least do that to him! I tried giving Sylvester catnip in hopes it might eventually make him mellow so we can work on him, but it revved him up even more so that failed big time lol!!!

 

[Furballsmom]

It was a relief to find I could get away with that approach, and like Sylvester, things have gradually gotten better, for the most part, over time. Oh, LoL about the catnip!

 

[Furballsmom]

Something I wanted to mention - I don't know if your weather/air gets dry and full of static electricity like it does here in Denver but I have to keep a damp paper towel close at hand to dampen his fur with, to keep him from getting shocked as I'm brushing. He became quite a bit calmer when I started doing that.

 

[les26]

Something I wanted to mention - I don't know if your weather/air gets dry and full of static electricity like it does here in Denver but I have to keep a damp paper towel close at hand to dampen his fur with, to keep him from getting shocked as I'm brushing. He became quite a bit calmer when I started doing that.

Oh yes, this is a GREAT suggestion, I had mentioned before that we use a wood stove and even though we have a steamer on top for moisture I am shocking myself quite a bit so maybe that is playing into it too, thanks!

Denver.....I have been a Broncos fan here in Pennsylvania since I was 12 years old in 1973, this season they needed a little "shock" to get going lol! Oh well, we take what they give us, can't complain as they won the Super Bowl a few years ago!

 

[Furballsmom]

you're not kidding about the broncos LOL!