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Knotted cat's hair

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  • 09-04-2008 10:46pm
    #1
    blackbox
    Registered Users Posts: 4,191 ✭✭✭


    There are terrible knots in the hair of my long-haired cats. I have had them for years and this has never happened before - well maybe the occassional small knot.

    I have cut some of them out but am afraid of cutting the cats.

    The cats mostly live outdoors.

    The only thing different this year is that they have been wearing flea collars - could this have anything to do with it?

    Any ideas - either on the cause or on how to remove the tightly bound knots.


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    #2
    clofty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭clofty


    Don't know if the collars may be causing it but our long haired girl gets the occassional knot. we find it best to deal with them there and then while they are small as the more you leave them the bigger the knot gets and the tighter into the skin. The last time this happened the Vet nurse had to shave her leaving poor socks looking very strange.

    Now when we find a knot it's out with the special grooming comb that we got from the vets. It's a curved comb that has sharp edges which tease out all the dead hair. It designed in such a way that it would be impossible to cut the cat with the edges - hard to describe. If this doesn't work I normally cut them out and if that doesn't work its off to the vets for a shave :D


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    #3
    hadook
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭hadook


    Homer gets knots in his coat twice a year - spring and autumn as his coat changes. The rest of the year he's fine.

    I brush out the ones on his front, sides, back & belly and trim the hair in his armpits (or whatever that bit of the cat is called) and around his bum quite short after I've cut out the mats to stop them reforming. It worked last year so I'm feeling hopeful for this year too :D


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    #4
    carwash_2006
    Registered Users Posts: 568 ✭✭✭carwash_2006


    I shouldn't think the collars would have any affect. Might be an idea to have a look at the teeth. If the matts are worse than normal they might not be grooming as efficiently as in previous years and that could be because they have a sore mouth.

    Not saying it's certain, just reckon it's worth checking. It could just be that the matts grew in too quick this year either. If you're worried about cutting the cat the vet could deal with the matts for you too.


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