matting of hair

Question
We have 3 cats, one of which has long hair.  Every summer he gets matted clumps of hair which we end up cutting out with scissors or some of the small ones he pulls out.  Even with brushing (which we may not do enough of) the matting continues.  Any ideas how to avoid or lessen this.  I understand some groomers will do cats (ours is not declawed), if that an option.  Thanks.


Answer
Long coated kitties can present  a challenge! Regular grooming along with a good diet are important when maintaining long coated cats.    Combing is more necessary than brushing. Bringing the comb smoothly through the coat, from the skin out, is the definition of 'brushed out'.  Ideally combing should be done daily... yes, daily... and over every inch of the cat...but that isn't very practical in a busy lifestyle. So you could get by with a minimum of 3 days a week. Be EXTREMELY CAREFUL when cutting out matts from cats.  Even as an experienced groomer, I NEVER use scissors on matts.  Cats have very thin skin which can nick and cut very easily. if you must cut out a matt, at least put the teeth of the comb next to the skin and cut above the comb to avoid all contact with the skin.  If you can find a good cat groomer in your area, you can keep the coat short year round on a regular basis, thereby avoiding the whole matting delimma.  Most cats actually ENJOY being shaved down, or taken down very short.  Their skin is more exposed to your touch, so their affection meter can go thru the roof!  Some cats are better than others when it comes to the actual grooming process.  Sometimes I groom (shave downs or 'lion clips')cats and forego the bathing process if they are relatively clean under the coat, or if they become stressed during the bathing process.  Most are fairly tolerant, altho not necessarily happy about it! Keeping the coat short will also aid in hairball issues. If you choose to keep the coat long and matt free, plan on alot of effort on your part, along with very regular grooming (bathing, combing, clipping nails).    Check around and get referrels to find a good groomer who also does cats, as not all groomers do.  Go with your first instinct whether you want to leave your cat there for , what could be, a large part of the day.  Once you find someone you and your cat like, stay with them.  Hope this has been helpful.  Thank you for your inquiry,
Tomay