Short Haired Cat Fur Matting

Seriously matted cats require veterinary attention.

Short haired cat fur matting.

Matted fur occurs more frequently in long haired cats but this doesn t mean it won t happen to short haired cats. Hold under the mat s surface so that you won t be pulling their skin. If mat has just started to form the best thing to do is to simply brush it out. You can also gently pick individual mat parts out of your cat s skin.

Start from the base of the mat using a straight comb. Although most short haired or younger cats should be able to keep themselves mat free without issue. Keep in mind that shedding dead hair is normal and it s a process that cannot be avoided. Austinkirk via flickr 2 start from the base.

Because mats can lead to conditions such as skin lesions skin infections and dirt debris and bacteria buildup its best to remove them as soon as you notice them. Remember to groom the undercoat and hard to reach spots as well. With short haired cats a small slicker brush may be used next to slowly and gently brush through any remaining tangles. Matted cat fur on the other hand damages tissue by preventing oxygen and moisture from reaching it.

Although matted cat fur is commonly found in long hair cat breeds short haired cats can also develop mats in their coats. How to unmat cat fur. The help of a pet parent is often required to remove tangled bunched up hair. In short a simple mat can mess up your cat s whole system.

This can lead to dry scaly and sometimes irritated skin. Long haired old or sickly cats usually require a little assistance from their owners with the process. When your cat notices this change they start to groom more which could increase the amount of hair they ingest and cause other health problems. Use the proper tools when brushing your cat s hair using a rubber brush for short haired cats and a long tooth metal wired brush for cats with longer hair.

Mats are clumps of hair that form when loose hair gets tangled onto the rest of your cat s fur. The reason mats develop is that cats naturally shed their dead outer fur to make room for newer hair to grow. Over time small mats can turn into large clumps and dreadlocks causing your cat pain and suffering for no reason. Affected cats are lightly sedated and their hair coats are shaved to remove all affected mats.

Matting occurs more in spring and autumn when cats are molting. Long haired cats are more prone to mats than short haired cats.