Lesson 11 - Grooming a Matted Cat

• Matted Cats
• Special Education

Lesson Outline

Theory

Grooming a Matted Cat

Practical

Dry Bath + Prep Coat

Clipper + Scissoring

Models

Student's Cat

Lesson 11

Grooming a Matted Cat

Presented by:

What are Mats?

Matting is when a cat’s fur becomes knotted and entwined. Matts can occur when the cat’s undercoat sheds (moults) and gets trapped under the top layer of fur. A build up of dirty fur or oily skin, affecting the condition of the fur, can also result in matting. The fur bunches together if left uncombed.

Cats mat. That’s a fact. Even the short-haired varieties are prone to matting from time to time. If you, as the groomer, can understand and wrap

your mind around the main causes for the matting, then you can also understand how to prevent the condition in the future.

Matted hair that can't breathe lets bacteria breed under it, leading to skin infections which can even result in open wounds if left long enough.

What are Mats?

Without proper and regular grooming a cats matting can very quickly become pelted

Most owners concentrate on the top layer of fur, when they brush their cat, not paying attention to the undercoat. This can be the start of matting

A matt or knot can sometimes be teased out with the fingers or gently combed out if held at the root

Cats mat. That’s a fact. Even the short-haired varieties are prone to matting from time to time. If you, as the groomer, can understand and wrap

your mind around the main causes for the matting, then you can also understand how to prevent the condition in the future.

Matted hair that can't breathe lets bacteria breed under it, leading to skin infections which can even result in open wounds if left long enough.

What do they look like?

Matts vs Pelts

A pelt is a hardened matt or knotting that is tight against the skin. 

Pelts are formed when matting starts to join together, over a long period of time over various parts of the body. 

More loose fur, dirt, debris and even faeces, gets stuck in the already formed pelts making them larger. Pelts cannot be combed out and always need to be shaved.

Pelting is extremely uncomfortable and painful for the cat. Imagine our hair without being brushed or washed for months. It would start to matt very quickly and, in time, would become a clump all over. This would tighten to our scalp and become very itchy and make us irritable and hot. 

Imagine this clump over our bodies connecting skin from different areas as the matts become more entwined. The matting from under our arm pits has joined matting on our chest drawing the two bits of skin closer together. It feels way too tight for comfort. We are hot, we itch and sores are gathering under the matting.

Cats are very good at hiding pain, so we want to avoid this entirely.

What Causes a Cat to Become Matted?

Cats are greasy

When comparing cat skin to that of humans or dogs, cats overall have very oily skin. 

In some areas they may have an overproduction of oil, for example Stud Tail, which is located at the base of the cat's tail and up along its back. However, a cat does not have to be a "stud" (intact male) cat to have issues with excess oils.

When the coat is greasy, it becomes sticky. When the coat is sticky, hair that normally sheds clings to the hair that is not shedding rather than falling away.

What Causes a Cat to Become Matted?

Shedding

Both longhaired and shorthaired cats can shed a lot.

It is very common for a cat owner to feedback about being covered in cat hair and needing to clean up regular hairballs.

Anyone who has owned a cat, both longhaired and shorthaired, knows that cats can shed a lot! It is very common for a cat owner to feedback about being covered in cat hair and needing to clean up regular hairballs. 

The natural life cycle of any hair ends with the hair dying and falling out, what we mean by shedding. 

What Causes a Cat to Become Matted?

Forming of Tangles

Greasy, shedding hair sticks to greasy hair still attached to the cat, forming a tangle.

The problem starts when the dead hair trying to shed out becomes stuck together with the excess oils from the cat's skin. This is when the cat's hair starts to look clumpy and separated.

Anyone who has owned a cat, both longhaired and shorthaired, knows that cats can shed a lot! It is very common for a cat owner to feedback about being covered in cat hair and needing to clean up regular hairballs. 

The natural life cycle of any hair ends with the hair dying and falling out, what we mean by shedding. 

What Causes a Cat to Become Matted?

Tangles growing into Mats

As more dead hair gets entangled, the clumps grow bigger and bigger. They can feel hard and tight. 

Clumps are the most noticeably where stud tail is, longhaired cats frequently start matting on the underside, armpits, rear end and legs. 

As time goes by, more and more clumps and tangles will pop up all over the cat's body, legs, behind the ears, tail, etc.

Clumps usually appear where there is most movement. So like behind the ears, neck, hind legs and base of the tail.

What Causes a Cat to Become Matted?

Matts Fusing Together, Creating a Pelt

Once the hair starts to matt, it will only become more severe without assistance. 

The smaller clumps spread and link together, forming large hard sections of thick, dead matted hair. At this severity, the matting and pelting pulls on the cat's skin constantly. This can cause skin sensitivity, areas of irritation, bald spots and soreness. 

Thick matts can also hide unpleasant things like fleas, wounds to the skin, items stuck within the coat, etc. 

How to Prevent Matting?

Regular Baths

The way to remove this excess is a gentle bath with a degreasing shampoo at least once every 6-8 weeks. This should include making sure to scrub all the way down to the skin through the coat.

A schedule of this frequency will keep the cat from starting to get clumps and matts. 

The key to preventing matts is to bathe the cat thoroughly on a regular basis with a good degreasing shampoo. It may take several lathers to do the job right. Should the grease be thoroughly removed, not only will the cat stay matt-free for a reasonable period of time, but it will also look a lot better after the groom.   

How to Prevent Matting?

Proper Drying

Once the bath is complete, the next step is to thoroughly blow dry a cat in a dryer. This helps to get rid of the second cause of cat matting: dead hair before it can clump together and trap moisture which may lead to skin issues.

How to Prevent Matting?

Final Comb Out

The cat's hair should be combed out after the bath and blow dry so that the comb glides through the coat all over their body. If dead coat and/or tangles are still present, the comb will not glide. Use short strokes to help remove any remaining small clumps of dead hair. 

Make sure to comb all over the cat's body, undersides, legs, paws, tail and around the head and ears. Small clumps and bits of dead hair are much easier to remove at this stage (once clean) compared to once they've formed into larger matts and pelts.

What is Dematting?

Dematting is the process of matt removal from the cat, either by shaving or combing out the tangles from the coat to ensure that it is tangle-free before the bath.

Make sure to comb all over the cat's body, undersides, legs, paws, tail and around the head and ears. Small clumps and bits of dead hair are much easier to remove at this stage (once clean) compared to once they've formed into larger matts and pelts.

What to say to the client?

Proper Communication is Key

The first thing that happens during the appointment is the coat assessment. You cannot skip this step and it should always be done before the owner leaves.

Safety and comfort of the cat is priority. Our safety is next, but then the next thing is that we want happy clients and that comes with good communication.

It is essential to go over everything and discuss and confirm expectations in person. We should be upfront about pricing and the possible duration of the groom as much as we can before starting work. 

If you find that there will be additional charges after starting on the groom, call the owner and inform them to get their approval before continuing. It is unprofessional to proceed and expect the owner to pay for what they did not agree to when they pick up their cat.

What to say to the client?

Proper Wording

Asking questions that are properly worded can help you extract more information from the client without making them feel offended or defensive.

Is your cat matted? vs Do you feel any clumps?

Does your cat shower often? vs When was her last groom?

When clients ask how long the session will take, give them an estimated time as well. Otherwise you will be bound to a very specific time limit and that may not work out as every cat is different.

Clients are much more at ease and honest with when we ask if they felt any clumps or tangles versus jumping right into if your cat matted because they tend to get really defensive about it. We don't want them to be defensive. We want to feel comfortable with ourselves and for them to be able to recognise what it is that we are looking our for. 

Consistent language will help you lay the groundwork for the appointment.

Describe to the client how the appointment is going to go, what services you’re gonna focus on first or if you can't promise specific things. This will in managing expectations and if the client has any concerns, they can raise it then and you can have them sign off on it before they leave.

What to say to the client?

Pricing Estimate

We never want clients to feel like they're locked into something specific, whether a high or a low price. 

We never want clients to feel like they're locked into something specific, whether a high or a low price. 

Some owners may insist for a final cost at the start but the best way will be to provide them with a cost estimate and explain that it depends on the actual condition of the coat when it comes to dematting and undercoat removal so we will only be able to tell when we start the groom.

A price estimate gives us an out if we are not comfortable proceeding, as well as giving the clients an out if they do not wish to pay.

What to say to the client?

Following Up

Always follow up with a new client or a client whose cat came in poor condition. Touch base with them the next day just to see how their cat is responding.

We don't want to wait too long because if there were any issues, we can nip it in the bud before anybody has a chance to come back with anything that they were unsatisfied with.

Shaving vs. Dematting

Things to Consider:

• Size of Individual Matts

Is the matt small or big? 

Is the matt close to the skin?

Size

I will first check if it’s small and not too close to the skin, and I feel that I am able to dematt it without causing too much discomfort, then I will dematt by combing it out.

If there are simply too many spots that are matted and shaving them off will make the cat have many holes in the coat, sometimes a shave down will be the better option.

Shaving vs. Dematting

Things to Consider:

• Location of the matting on the cat's body

Location

For belly, armpits and sanitary area, we do not comb out the matts. We always shave those because those are very sensitive areas. It’s faster and easier. Cats don’t have the tolerance to allow you to tug at these areas.

For big matts that are very close to the skin, shaving will be the only option.

Shaving vs. Dematting

Things to Consider:

• The cat’s tolerance level 

Temperament and patience level of the cat

Is it a cat you've groomed before?

Tolerance Level

Temperament and patience of the cat is going to play a big factor, especially in new cats. If it's a cat that I've groomed before, then I'll usually know with a good amount of certainty what the cat will and will not tolerate.

With new cats, this is where I stress the worst case scenario for the client just to be on the side of caution. I will bring up the fact that I may have to separate the groom into two visits. So again, this is being upfront with the client of the possibilities and managing their expectations. If you manage to complete the groom, you would have overdelivered. If you didn’t manage to, the client would have agreed and understood right from the start.

Tools

Blade #10

We do all of our shaving with a #10 blade attached to a clipper, according to the hair growth. 

Anything shorter can cut the cat or cause skin irritation.

When shaving, always ensure that the skin is taut. Otherwise causing nicks and cuts is still possible with a blade 10

Tools

Combs 

We prefer combs over brushes on cat hair, especially medium and long coated cats. They are much more efficient, while still being gentle on delicate cat skin. 

Tools

Fingers 

Using your fingers, gently separate tangles/matts without pulling on the skin of the cat

Tools

What NOT to use 

• Lotion or oil-based products
  
• Scissors to cut out Matts
  
• Bathing bags
  
• Nooses or grooming loops
  
• Overly large tubs or wide open tub spaces
  
• Nozzles that require a 2nd hand to operate
  
• Rubber hoses
  
• Oatmeal shampoo (or any type of moisturizing shampoo)
  
• Clippers that do not perform well on cat hair
  
• Brushes
  
• De-matting tools meant for dematting dogs
  

Lotion or oil-based products

Because cat mats are not likely to break apart, it is not useful to try spraying or rubbing on a product made to remove dog matting. This includes coconut oil, baby oil, cornstarch powder, conditioning spray, silicone/de-matting sprays, etc. These products will just make more of a mess and will not help in removing the mat from the base of the skin. Cat matting should either be combed out when clean and blown dry or shaved out.

Do NOT cut Matts out

While it may be tempting to cut through mats to remove them, cat skin is incredibly flexible and fragile, meaning it can be cut very easily. Skin can often hide inside of a thick mat making it very likely the skin will be sliced when using sharp cutting tools to cut into a mat or pelt. 

Grooming Procedure

Step 1 - Dematting

Shaving the matts off before the bath is a necessity as water and shampoo will not be able to penetrate into the matts.

Shaving severe matting is done using shorter swipes with the clipper and working on small sections at a time. Once an area of matting starts lifting up, it can be easier to get the clippers underneath but it can also be easier to cut skin as the matting can pull sections of skin away from the body.      

Cat skin is very loose and wrinkly, it is important to hold the section of skin you are trying to shave so that it doesn’t move around. If the skin is moving, then the clippers cannot cut the mats off which wastes time and the cat’s patience. If the skin becomes wrinkled, then the skin can become caught between the teeth of the clipper blade, causing nicks and cuts. 

It is not uncommon for cats to have very sensitive skin underneath severe matting. As the mats are shaved off, even compliant cats can start to squirm and wiggle as the sensations they are feeling on the exposed skin can cause them to lick, try to move away, and even try to bite while you are handling those areas. It is important to observe any changes in behavior, where you are touching or handling when the cat has any reactions, but also not to neglect watching where the clippers are cutting so as not to nick skin. It may be tempting to speed up once large sections have been removed as cats can become impatient, however be mindful not to sacrifice safety by not paying attention to the entire width of the clipper blade as it’s cutting.   

Use the palm of your hand to check how warm the clipper blade is. Because severe matting requires a heavy duty to get through the thick pelts, the metal blade can become very warm. Periodically check how warm the clipper blade is by touching it against your own hand or skin. If it is too hot to the touch, then change out the clipper blade for another or use a blade coolant. It is always good to keep several spare blades within arms reach to switch blades if they get too hot, get kicked off the table or don’t cut through the matted hair easily.

Grooming Procedure

Step 1 - Dematting

Cat skin is very loose and wrinkly, it is important to hold the section of skin you are trying to shave so that it doesn’t move around. If the skin is moving, then the clippers cannot cut the mats off which wastes time and the cat’s patience. If the skin becomes wrinkled, then the skin can become caught between the teeth of the clipper blade, causing nicks and cuts. 

It is not uncommon for cats to have very sensitive skin underneath severe matting. As the mats are shaved off, even compliant cats can start to squirm and wiggle as the sensations they are feeling on the exposed skin can cause them to lick, try to move away, and even try to bite while you are handling those areas. It is important to observe any changes in behavior, where you are touching or handling when the cat has any reactions, but also not to neglect watching where the clippers are cutting so as not to nick skin. It may be tempting to speed up once large sections have been removed as cats can become impatient, however be mindful not to sacrifice safety by not paying attention to the entire width of the clipper blade as it’s cutting.   

Use the palm of your hand to check how warm the clipper blade is. Because severe matting requires a heavy duty to get through the thick pelts, the metal blade can become very warm. Periodically check how warm the clipper blade is by touching it against your own hand or skin. If it is too hot to the touch, then change out the clipper blade for another or use a blade coolant. It is always good to keep several spare blades within arms reach to switch blades if they get too hot, get kicked off the table or don’t cut through the matted hair easily.

Grooming Procedure

Step 2 - Bath & Dry

After shaving off the bulk of the mats and pelts, the next step is to get the cat squeaky clean with a bath and blow dry.

They may present dandruff or bruised skin after dematting. To help relieve cats of this uncomfortable condition, a thorough bath with degreasing shampoo or a spa is a necessity.

After the bath, towel dry the cat as much as possible remove any excess moisture and place them in the dryer for them to rest and decompress.

Towel drying is an important step to blot out all the excess water on the cat to quicken the drying time as cats can get stressed out if placed in the dryer for too long.

Grooming Procedure

Step 3 - Touch Up

Once the cat is clean and dry, you can continue to touch up any parts that you were unable to get before the bath because the coat was dirty.

While shaving, you will need to adjust the pressure you are using, meaning how firm against the skin you are pushing the clippers, in order to shave evenly. Too many passes takes up more time while your cat’s patience is running out.

Ensure

• Clean lines for the head, boots and base of the tail
  
• Round head, neat boots and a round tail
  

Be careful not to shave directly over a cat’s nipples with too much pressure as they can be nicked easily. 

For Lion cuts, we want to have clean lines so that the final look is polished and looks intentional.

A cat’s tail should not be entirely shaved as some cats will bite the end, and wounds on the end of the tail can have a difficult time fully healing. So we try to at least leave a pom or section of hair at the end.

Grooming Procedure

Step 3 - Touch Up

Once the cat is clean and dry, you can continue to touch up any parts that you were unable to get before the bath because the coat was dirty.

Be careful not to shave directly over a cat’s nipples with too much pressure as they can be nicked easily. 

For Lion cuts, we want to have clean lines so that the final look is polished and looks intentional.

A cat’s tail should not be entirely shaved as some cats will bite the end, and wounds on the end of the tail can have a difficult time fully healing. So we try to at least leave a pom or section of hair at the end.

How to Charge?

Charges 

Fact: Clients pay closer attention to their cat’s condition when it directly affects their budget.

    

There are owners that are eager to have a cat in great condition and willing to do whatever it took to maintain the beautiful coat.

There also owners that are clueless about what to do with their cat’s coat that has become out of control. Once you fix it for them once, they think that the problem is solved and a few months down the road or the next year they come back with the same problem. This repetitive cycle of neglect and repair is frustrating, ineffective, and extremely tiresome

As groomers, we provide a service. Time is money. It takes more time to groom the cat in bad condition than it does to groom the cat on a 4-week schedule.     

Factoring in additional wear and tear on our clippers and blades, additional shampoo product needed, and any other consumable or equipment usage, it only makes sense that the price charged for the cat in bad condition must be higher than the price charged for the regular maintenance groom cat.

How to Charge?

Charges 

There also owners that are clueless about what to do with their cat’s coat that has become out of control. Once you fix it for them once, they think that the problem is solved and a few months down the road or the next year they come back with the same problem. This repetitive cycle of neglect and repair is frustrating, ineffective, and extremely tiresome

As groomers, we provide a service. Time is money. It takes more time to groom the cat in bad condition than it does to groom the cat on a 4-week schedule.     

Factoring in additional wear and tear on our clippers and blades, additional shampoo product needed, and any other consumable or equipment usage, it only makes sense that the price charged for the cat in bad condition must be higher than the price charged for the regular maintenance groom cat.

How to Charge?

Deceptively Matted 

Some cats are deceptively matted, which means that upon first appearance, they may not look badly matted at all. That’s why it is important to do a hands-on assessment when each cat arrives so you can get a better feel for their true coat condition. 

When touching this coat the matted hair is very noticeable. However, some cat owners may not know that when they are petting their cat, they are only feeling the top of the matted pelt.

      

Discovering this during check in is very important so that you can go over with the cat’s owner what will need to be done at that appointment. Finding out a cat requires a full shavedown while the owner just expected a bath or brush out is a recipe for a very upset customer.

      

Before the client leaves, you’ll want to go over the risks involved with severe mat removal, what skin conditions can be exposed during shaving and the expectations of what their cat will look like.

Practical

• 1 student to 1 meowdel 
• You will need to complete a basic groom for your meowdel
• Check the cat for any undercoat and matts (If any, come up with a price estimate for these add-ons)
• Take pictures of before and after the groom

Name and explain 2 causes of how a cat might become matted

Name and explain 2 ways to prevent matting

What should you communicate to a client when you have identified matts on their cat's body?

What tools can you use to dematt a cat?