How to Remove Matted Hair from a Persian Cat (2022 Guide)

If your Persian cat has issues with her fur matting (click here to see why these De-matting Combs are the best) you may be stressed trying to find a solution. Let me give you some valuable tips to get around this.

What causes matted fur in Persian Cats? Matted fur is when clumps of cat fur appear to be stuck or grouped together. This becomes unmanageable by your cat and gets from bad to worse. This is typically caused by neglect or lack of grooming.

The problem with matted fur is, it leads to discomfort for your cat because it’s unable to groom itself properly. You may find it trying to bite or pull at the clumps of fur, confused, and generally unhappy. Let me explain which type of Persians are likely to get this, and how you can deal with it.

What Type of Persian cats Are susceptible to this?

Older cats are susceptible to this. Simply because they are not as agile as they were in their younger days. They may find it hard to clean and groom all areas of their body.

This is also similar to an obese cat. They may find it hard to move around and clean and groom their entire body due to the excessive weight they are carrying.

Cats that are not feeling well may also neglect grooming. They could be suffering from dental-related problems or even arthritis.

For indoor cats, specifically the ones with short hair, you may find that they get this build-up from dust or dander. For your information, dander is little flecks of skin that build-up and cause matting in the fur.

How to remove the matting from your cat’s fur

In this section, I’m going to discuss how you can remove the matting in your cat’s fur.

Important Preparation

Firstly you need to prepare the area so that you can attempt to remove the matting. This is relatively simple in concept, but sometimes in practice, it can be a little bit challenging. Your cat may move around and cause resistance. So, be patient.

You need to use some talcum powder. Gently massage this into the affected matted area. You need to gently stroke and hold your cat, then attempt to work the talcum powder into matted area.

If your cat causes resistance, instead of trying to force it, take your time. Gently pet your cat and make them feel reassured and then try again shortly after when they’re a bit more relaxed.

Cutting the matt way

Using some sharp, but round-nosed scissors, attempt to cut the mat away. However, you have to be careful while you are doing this. Because you do not want to cut unmatted clumps of their fur away.

The idea is to locate the matting then gently ease the round nose scissors, in line with their skin, and glide it up towards the matted area.

Make sure you cut the mat and not the skin of your cat. So, you need to be very careful. Once you gently snip the matted area, move it along about half an inch and repeat the process until the matting has gone.

Combing through the matted area

Once you have cut through the chunks of matted fur, that is causing the biggest problem, you need to get hold of either a flea comb or a specifically designed de-matting comb.

The idea is to use your left hand to grab hold of the base of the fur. This is to ensure, when you’re combing it, you do not cause discomfort to your cat or pull her fur away from her skin.

Gently comb away from your left hand so that you gently comb out the matted fur. Bit by bit. If you do this correctly you should find that the matting starts to free up making your cat happier.

How do you prevent these mats coming in the first place?

The best way to deal with this is prevention. So, for that reason, in this section, I’m going to give you some tips on how you can prevent this happening.

Regular Brushing & Bathing

Firstly, it is important to maintain your Persian (Is this the same breed as Garfield? Click here) cat’s hair by brushing it. This needs to be done on a regular basis.

It is a good idea to bathe her at least every 2 to 3 months, just to maintain their lovely fur. However, when you are bathing her, it’s important that you use specific cat safe products that are designed for them. Do not use a standard conditioner or any product you personally use.

You can get specific products that are tailor-made for cats. For example, cleaning products for cats with white coats, products that provide extra shine, etc.

In addition to this, it is a good idea to have a selection of brushes and combs. Make sure to include a de-matting brush link.

The idea is to get ahead of the problem and to keep them regularly brushed and tangle-free, are you with me?

Should your cat be grooming itself?

Yes, all cats should be instinctively grooming themselves. You should not have to prompt them to do this. They should be doing this as standard. Grooming is not just for vanity. It is important to keep their fur coat in good health and avoid tangles and matting.

If your cat neglects grooming, you need to be concerned

If you find that your cat is not grooming itself and you are finding that its fur is getting matted up. It’s an indication that there is an issue. It could be a health-related problem or it could be linked to other things such as obesity.

If you have any doubts, the best thing to do is to check with your vet. See if there could be an underlying issue that you cannot see.

When is it a good idea to seek professional help?

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to deal with all matted or tangled fur. In some extreme cases, you may have to shave down your cat’s fur (click here to see if cats like their fur shaved) to get rid of the problem. This is something that you should not attempt at all.

If it’s more than a few clumps of matting I personally wouldn’t attempt to do it myself. In fact, if you feel uncomfortable with any of this, even a few clumps, the best advice is to contact a professional groomer or your vet. Get some advice about how you can get this done.

A professional groomer will know the correct conditioning products you should use, how to do it correctly and to keep your cat in the best comfort.