With bloodied hands I type to ask if anyone has found the secret to preventing mats in long-haired Maine Coon-like barn cats with very sharp claws? They blow huge thick coats in winter which serve to keep them warm but grooming attempts are difficult. Last year I had to shave them. Thanks for any input!
Oh dear! No ideas, but lots of sympathy.
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Brushing Over Breakfast- 10 seconds of brushing every day is better than attempting two minutes of brushing on Friday and getting murdered at the 37 second mark.
The groomer told me that brushing sideways or at an angle with a rake comb is better at dematting than brushing straight away from the body.
I have a Maine Coon and a Himalayan and I understand the problem you are trying to solve.
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Daily combing. My barn cat is also a hairy chonky boy. He’s happy to have help with grooming. I like this comb for when he’s blowing coat & through the summer:
And this one for winter when his coat is so dense and thick:
I find combs to work better than other tools to really get into the coat.
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Try this type of slicker brush, with little rubber tips on the bristles:
Slicker brush with rubber tips
My longhair cat that won’t tolerate regular slicker brushes (stabby steel bristles) does well with this one. Start gently on their head and neck, then back, then do short forays into other areas. Over time my cat has gotten OK with being groomed.
Tractor Supply has a knock off Furminator that works well on my hairy cats and dogs. Removes the undercoat and mats.
Daily brushing. Every cat can be conditioned to enjoy it as long as you take your time.
Start with a high motivating treat if regular kibble isn’t enough.
Place kibble on the floor and brush the cat’s back while it eats the kibble.
Repeat a few times a day.
Gradually increase the time (and drop more treats to distract), and let the cat leave when they want.
I use these: https://www.amazon.com/Wet-Brush-Squirt-Pocket-Detangling/dp/B00BISIMYO/
They can be found in any grocery store with a shampoo/hair care section. I prefer these over metal combs or pet brushing tools because often the tines are too close together (painful for the cat in matted cases) or sharp.
The cat will learn to associate the brushing with treats - just make sure you do not restrain or force them to stay. Unlike dogs and horses, I’ve found cats do much better when they are allowed to exercise a little free will.
Thanks for these great tips! I am preparing an order from Amazon! Sounds like daily brushing is key. They do like their backs and necks being done, it is the belly and behind the front legs that are challenging but I will keep working on it (even if 10 seconds per day)!
I second all suggestions of daily grooming. Also adding to break in down in small chunks if necessary. I had a long haired kitty that hated hated hated being groomed. He had the thinnest most delicate skin so any hair pull was misery to him. I just broke it down into small areas and did a bit at a time when I could grab him. The only part of him he liked being brushed was his tail and of course it was always very floofy and beautiful.
rip Teddy
Clip their nails, if you can.
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I’m a few decades in on MCC ownership, and the best plan is to start regular grooming when they are kittens, but that’s not much help for you!
It’s also not much help, but it’s really nice when you get the MCC with the mat free coat. Some have coats like cotton candy, and you just have to stay on top of those. The bestest cat ever, my amazing Zifu (RIP big Z) was like that, mats would pop up overnight. Fortunately the Big Z would let you tug and pull and try and split them forever. When he finally had enough, he’s open up this massive jaws and gently clamp down on my wrist, never coming close to breaking the skin, but just a gentle “that’s enough for now” reminder. Did I mention he was the best cat ever and I miss him horribly? Yeah, I do. Cancer sucks, but we all know that. But the mat free coat is amazing, it looks the same but the undercoat is just silkier. Zazu had this type of coat and it never mats. I groomed him sometime in August before I went out for shoulder surgery and didn’t groom him again until late December and he had one “future mat”. Crazy. I sincerely hope the next MCC has that type of coat!
I got my tips from the show people, #1 with a bullet is USE A GREYHOUND COMB!!! It’s the straight metal comb in the pic above. #2 is that slicker brushes create split ends and this ultimately makes the matting problems worse.
I tried the furminator, I found it mostly useless, I can strip more undercoat with the greyhound comb than the furminator. But I do have a good old fashion mat rake, and that does come in handy with the occasional mat, plus they are a specific tool with a specific job, so they tend to do the job better than all the other crap. The other advice is to just do small sections and when you get a thick spot, tease it out with the edge of the comb, try to split the spot with 1 to 2 tines, not the whole comb. I’ll also create a line and work across, doing each section, then pull the next line of hair down, but I do have cats who are pretty agreeable about them process!
Aw, your Zifu sounds like a sweetheart. I’m sure you do miss him. My Donnie is not gentle. Their mother was a feral I started feeding and then she had babies in the barn. I’ve been able to “tame” two of them but grooming is a challenge. The little female, Callie, is pretty good about it but Donnie turns it into a wrestling match with the brush and my hand. I will try the greyhound comb as well as some other suggestions!
I agree that treats make a big difference in training them to sit for combing. Start with short sessions, like just 10-20 seconds. I’ll pin them down if they don’t tolerate even that, and give high value treat right after. A quick daily session gets them eager pretty fast.
The first comb I link above is really great at getting out mats that do form. The staggered teeth give you something to tease apart hair. Holding the mat itself between your fingers helps to limit pulling on the skin.
Thanks for this thread! Sure needed the wake up call …
We are on the wait list for a Norwegian Forest cat, and i will NOT be the one to groom her. I have the dogs on my plate, and horses. It’ll be up to SO and i really have my doubts that it will get done. Think i will be less appreciative when she shows me pix of the current litter we’re up for.
FWIW, I don’t find combing onerous. A few minutes every night is all it takes. Treats makes for a cat that shows up & is happy for the attention. With a kitten, you can set the routine early. It’s not doing nothing, but it’s not a huge time sink or a ton of work.
Dematting a cat full of mats that hates grooming IS a ton of work, though. Or a trip to the vet/groomer.
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I like these two:
Hair buster: Small Pet Select - Hair Buster Comb
The comb is expensive, but really good at “grabbing” dead/built up hair without pulling.
Multi layer slicker: Wahl Premium Patented Dual Level Sensitive Skin Pet Slicker
This one is like a combination slicker and pin brush.
