How to Remove Mats from an Unwilling Cat

Let's face it. If you have a cat with long or even medium hair, despite regular grooming, your pet is likely to experience one or more hard, ugly mats at some point. My husband and I are feral cat rescuers, and several very furry former ferals are now part of our family. Here's how I remove mats from these unwilling cats.

Get Supplies Ready

Pick the spot. First, identify the room or area where you'll tackle the mats. If you use a small, enclosed room like a powder room, remove all pictures from the walls and any glass bottles or vials. Also add to your list a dose of Valium or other relaxant for you to take.

Towels. While two or three beach towels are ideal, bath-size or any other large towels will do. They serve several purposes. When the cat stands on them, they catch falling fur. They're also useful to throw over the cat to calm him or her. Finally, you'll need them to mop up blood from major scratches on your limbs if you insist on wearing shorts and/or a top with short sleeves.

Tools. You'll need some large, very sharp scissors as well as a small pair like the manicure or sewing type. Avoid the temptation to include an unsheathed razor blade unless you're proficient at using it. You'll also require some sort of implement to comb the cat's fur in the area where the mat has been removed once you've sent it floating to the floor. A flea comb with metal teeth is ideal. That way, if you find any fleas, you can catch the little devils and flush them down the commode (assuming your cat doesn't freak at the sound).

Disinfectant. You'll need it if your cat has significant scratches from digging at any mats. You might also need it if the cat gets fed up and imparts a few deep scratches on you. Hydrogen peroxide applied on a cotton ball is cheap and generally works well.

Locate and Catch the Cat

It's quite likely that your unwilling cat has caught you glimpsing at him or her out of the corner of your eye. This is a sure tip-off to the cat that something detestable is about to happen.

If a gentle summons won't bring the cat toward you on a run, you'll obviously have to outwit the furball. My best bet is a teaspoon of water-packed tuna.

If you can work in sturdy gloves, now's the time to wear them. Never have another cat present lest you end up the victim of transferred aggression.

Immobilize the Cat

This is much easier said than done. It helps to be double-jointed. The idea is to block the cat's ability to lift any paws and claw you, causing you to release your pet after uttering a string of obscenities.

If you're doing this by yourself, you need to grab the furball by the fur at the nape of the neck and use your other hand to immobilize the paws. If you figure out how to restrain all four paws at once, you can make a fortune and don't need to read this anyway.

Removing the Mat

The idea is to accomplish this as fast as possible. There is really no time to distract an unwilling cat with toys, catnip or a nice pair of pantyhose to shred.

Grasp the mat as close to the cat's skin as you can. Use an appropriate pair of scissors to cut bluntly between it and the cat's skin to sever the mat. Some mats are so thick, they feel like you need a chain saw.

Gently pull the mat off the cat. Okay--yank it if you have to! Just don't pull so hard that the cat goes into a frenzy. It needs to be gone lest the cat continue to dig at it and develop a hairball.

Don't be discouraged if part of the mat remains. Use the fine-toothed comb to pull out the rest. Check for scratches and apply disinfectant if necessary.

Using a Pro

When should you use a groomer? The short answer is whenever you know before starting to remove mats from an unwilling cat that the job is too difficult for you. Our Maine Coon, Persephone (read about her here), has 100-percent feral behavior after living inside for several years. She lives for weeks under sofas and develops multiple mats so hard they resemble concrete.

I recently paid $60 for a member of the vet's staff to shave most of her fur while she was sedated for a medical procedure. She got a lion cut so adorable that while the fur is back to its original length, I plan on repeating the "do" next summer. I could never have done this without ending up in need of medical care myself.

Sources:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7786002/persephone_still_feral_years_after.html?cat=53

Personal experience as a rescuer