Expert: Tomay - 9/12/2006

Question
    Is it normal for a short haired cat to get clumps or matted fur? Our indoor cat, which is seven yrs. old, first got the clumps last summer. This summer they returned. The clumps of fur are so bad they need to be cut out. We can't think of anything the cat could get into to cause this. It's a puzzle. Any suggestions on how to prevent this or what the problem could be?
    Thanks.

Answer
Hello MJ,
It is fairly normal for short haired cats to develop some matting problems.  Many times, these matts, or clumps, will run along the spine area or at the base of the tail.  I also see this in cats that are overweight and can no longer reach areas to do their own grooming.  The coat is in 'shed' mode, all the time.  Although during season changes, shedding will accelerate, and if the older, dead coat is not removed, the new coat coming in will begin to grow into it, thus causing this matting.  Usually, once these matts become solid, there is no other choice but to have them clippered out.  Using scissors can lead to a vet visit!  If, however, you must use scissors, get a metal toothed comb and work it UNDER the matt, close to the skin, and then cut ON TOP of the scissors, so as not to catch any skin.  
Regular grooming with a rubber curry brush will remove this dead coat before it has the opportunity to become matts.  Most cats LOVE this kind of brushing, as the curry is soft, and offers a massaging type of action.  These can be found at most pet shops, for a very reasonable price,and will last a very long time, even with continued use.  You can also take the metal comb, and weave a small rubber band in and out of each tooth, pushing it to the spine of the comb.  This will remove ALOT of undercoat and loose shedding coat.
Also to consider is diet.  A premium diet will help keep shedding under control, and promote healthy skin.  Altho these may seem like they are more expensive initially, the fact that they are superior foods means that more of the food that is eaten is actually used by the body, with less waste.  You will find that the cat eats less, thus making the diet a much better deal in the long run.  Precise, Innova, Nature's Recipe, Natural Choice and Wysong all offer very good foods.  
Hope this has been helpful.
Thank you for your inquiry and your intrest in this site.
Tomay