Matted fur and painful swelling of skin on tummy

Our question this week was:

I have a domestic longhair cat about 3-years-old, and she has gotten herself completely covered on her underside with mats. There is also one area which is obviously painful if I try to brush her. How does one get the mats out at this point? I will shave her if necessary, because her fur seems to bother her a lot. I just don't know what to do about that sore spot. I can't see anything, it just feels like something under the skin and it hurts her if I touch it. I thought it was just another mat at first, but it's definitely a sore spot of some kind. Should I take her to a groomer? The vet?

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Ann Varlay

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. Mats are frustrating to deal with and can be quite difficult. I have some tips on how to deal with them that is in the article link below.

It is hard to evaluate the sore area without seeing your cat or seeing the area which sounds like it is under a mat. If you can't deal with the mats at home, it may be time to have him shaved either at your groomer or veterinarian's office. Once the mats are off, then you can see what is under the mats. If the area is raw or sore, see your veterinarian.

An article that might be helpful to you is on our Petplace.com is "How to Get the Mats Out from Your Cat!."

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

PS – does any one have some good tips on how you get rid of mats on your cat? Email me!

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