Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

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Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

By: PetPlace Veterinarians

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Removing hair mats is fraught with potential complications. Many mats are firmly attached to the skin, so you must be extremely careful not to cut the skin as you cut off the mat.

Begin by brushing and combing as much as possible. Many small mats can be removed with a thorough brushing. If mats remain, try to make the mat smaller by brushing the hair near the mat. Once you are sure that the mat can only be removed by cutting the hair, go for the scissors.

Clippers are safest and best way to remove matted hair. Unfortunately, most people do not own clippers and must make do with scissors. Be very careful.

Begin by isolating the mat.

Comb Method

If possible, take a fine tooth comb and slide it between the mat and the skin. This will help prevent the skin from getting cut. If a fine tooth comb is not working, any comb will do.

Once the comb is under the mat, cut the hair between the mat and the comb.

Scissor Debulking Method

If you cannot place a comb between the skin and mat, open the scissors and carefully place one blade through the base of the mat.

Cut up and away from the skin. Do not cut in the same direction as the skin.

Cutting the mat upward will divide the mat and allow you to comb the rest away.

Scissor Removal Method

The safest way to trim the mat with scissors is also the slowest and most tedious.

Place one blade of the open scissors through a thin layer of hair near the base of the mat. Make sure you can see the scissor blade.

Slowly cut the hair, making sure there is no skin involved.

Continue to do this until the mat is removed.

Always make sure you can see the scissor blade through the hair.

The best way to avoid cutting your pet's hair is to groom her frequently and not allow the mats to form.

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1Combs and Brushes for Your Cat
You can keep your cat from having a "bad hair day" by regularly brushing and combing his hair; cats have many types of coats, but all of them need to be brushed and combed to keep them from developing...
Read More
2Essentials for a Shiny Coat in Cats
A bright shiny coat is a sign of vigor and good health. We want our pets to look and feel their best and grooming helps achieve this goal. All cats benefit from regular grooming. Here are a few tips to...
Read More
3Grooming Your Senior Cat - Special Concerns
As your pet ages, taking an active role in grooming becomes even more important. Older pets often groom less, may have trouble cleaning those "hard to reach places," or may develop skin conditions that...
Read More
4How to Get the Mats Out from Your Cat !
Cats with long hair tend to have a very thin outer layer of skin and cutting out a mat of fur can cause a really nasty injury. Even a small nick can split the skin and create a gaping hole.
Read More

Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

Safe Ways to Remove Mats from Your Cat

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