How to remove tangles from a cat at home?
In long-haired cats, tangles are often formed - these are lumps of dead hair that get tangled with living hairs. Mats hang on the animal and bring him discomfort. Fluffy cats are very beautiful and give their owners positive emotions, but if everything is left to chance, then hairballs can lead to adverse consequences, and there will no longer be joy from the sight of your animal.
It seems that mats are a harmless physiological feature of a fluffy cat, but they can appear in one that has very little hair. This happens if the cat is not properly cared for. Probably, everyone would be interested to know about the reasons for the appearance of these lumps, and why some animals cope with them on their own, combing them out with their tongue, while others need the help of their owners.
Causes of occurrence
A fluffy cat is not able to take good care of its fur, so it needs help. We can say that mats are an indicator of how the owner takes care of his animal. The coat is always renewed: old hairs fall out and new ones grow. The animal simply brushes hairs of short or medium length with its tongue, and a cat with long hairs and very fluffy coat cannot cope with combing. It turns out that the hair falls out, old hairs form lumps interspersed with new ones, and from day to day they begin to increase in size.
The second reason is improper bathing.... Many owners, when bathing their cat, lather and ruffle their fur, but it is better not to do this. The wool must be stroked carefully, because the wool will then be very difficult to comb.Combing after every bath is a prerequisite.
If the cat is shedding its fur, brushing regularly should become a habit. If this is not done, tangles will appear, this cannot be avoided.
Wool can fall out due to improper nutrition. If the cat eats only dry food, it must be diluted with vitamins and minerals. If there is confidence that taking care of your beloved pet goes by all the rules, but tangles still appear, and suddenly, then this may indicate some kind of disease. In addition to being unattractive, hairballs can also pose a threat to your cat.
For example, if mats appear when it is hot outside, then they disrupt thermoregulation - the animal may overheat, and as a result, traces of dermatitis (inflammatory skin lesions) will appear on the skin. In addition, hairballs are a haven for bacteria. Various viruses and microbes, sometimes even fleas and ticks, can settle inside them. Mats, in addition to all this, bring discomfort to the animal - often cats themselves try to get rid of mats, pulling them out, thereby injuring their skin.
Note! Mats usually appear under the paws, behind the ears, on the tail and neck.
Why are they dangerous?
A completely natural question arises about what kind of danger tangles are for an animal. As mentioned above, hairballs bring discomfort to the cat, and by pulling them out, the animal inflicts a skin injury on itself. Of course, it is advisable to take care of your beloved pet in a timely manner, if you start the process, then unpleasant consequences may arise in the future. There is no threat to life, but it is undesirable to ignore the mats for the following reasons:
- unattractive appearance;
- discomfort - the skin of the animal is tightened, which makes it more difficult for him to lead an active lifestyle;
- skin damage - at the site of the lumps, the skin may become too dry, which will lead to dandruff or, conversely, high humidity, and this threatens inflammation;
- reproduction of bacteria - the places of mats can become seedlings for bacteria and fungi.
How to remove?
Removing mats is an unpleasant procedure for a cat, however, getting rid of them is necessary for its own comfort. The animal will resist manipulation of the skin in every possible way, so you need to be prepared for this. The owner of his furry friend should choose the right moment for the procedure: it may be the time when the cat is sleeping or has just fallen asleep.
If you are not confident in your abilities, then you can ask for help from loved ones - they will help hold the animal, and it will not be so difficult to remove fur from a furry friend... Before starting work, you need to make sure that the cat is in an immobilized position.
It is very easy to determine the tangles - you can feel the woolen bunches with your hands: you can try to cut the crumpled and soft small tubers into several parts, and then comb them out.
But there are neglected cases when only clipping or shaving with suitable devices will help. It is important to do this with great care so as not to injure yourself and your beloved pet. If you are not sure that at home it will be possible to carry out a procedure to get rid of tangles and cut them out, then it is better to consult a specialist in a veterinary clinic.
Step-by-step removal of tangles in an advanced stage is carried out as follows.
- Have someone help by holding the animal tightly.
- We feel for a ball of wool with our hand and estimate how close it is to the skin.
- If the hair cannot be untangled from the lump, then it just needs to be cut or shaved off with a hair clipper.
- We trim the wool in parts and very carefully. To do this, take a comb (comb) and substitute it between the scissors and the cat's skin.
- You should start with a small part of the woolen ball, gradually getting closer to the skin.
It is important! You need to seek help from a professional if you cannot cut the mats on your own.
Preventive measures
To prevent tangles from appearing, you need to take care of your pet. The cat needs to brush its coat at least once a day for 10-15 minutes. This can be done with various devices: a comb for down, for undercoat, massage combs, a combing device - a furminator (a combing device that allows you to quickly and easily remove dead hair).
When it's hot outside, your pet can have haircuts.... This can be challenging, so it's best to take your cat to the vet. When bathing your beloved pet, it is better to use a suitable shampoo that will make the coat silky, for example, Perfect Coat 8 in 1, Luxurious Lioness, Biovax, Herba Vitae. After the animal is bathed, it should be thoroughly combed, and if it is not afraid of the hair dryer, dry it.
It is important! Brushing the coat should be done at least 2 times a week. Some cats get used to brushing and begin to treat the procedure as a pleasure session. It is important to pay attention to the choice of a comb - it should not have hard teeth.
A cat can recognize its own ailment and will try to fight it and comb out the mats in every possible way, but only the owner of the pet will help to remove them qualitatively. The main thing is to accustom your furry friend to such a mandatory procedure, then over time he will get used to it and will not resist. A healthy coat is very important for your pet's well-being.
How the mats are trimmed with a typewriter, see below.
