Matted fur is painful for the cat. And it gets worse with time.

The coat will not take care of itself or get better on its own. The cat is unable to tease out matted fur.

Make no mistake, damage is being done to the skin under the matted fur. It’s an ideal situation for bacterial development and growth. Fleas and other parasites relish the protection. In an attempt to relieve some of the pain and stress of matted fur, cats can scratch themselves to the point of injury.

Removing mats isn’t as simple as a quick buzz with clippers. The nature of cat skin creates a nightmare of folds and wrinkles when it’s pulled up into the mat. Many cats recognize the help being offered and will comply with the removal process. However, when pain is involved it’s easy to understand why a cat resists and may be defensive.

Never cut away mats using scissors. Never ever. I can’t be too emphatic about that because I’ve seen first-hand far too many injuries caused by well-intentioned guardians. Find a professional groomer experienced working with cats or contact your cat’s veterinarian for assistance.