How to remove matted fur from cat's armpits after harness use?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Little Bit. I recommend having her shaved down by a veterinarian or groomer. A veterinarian is a good choice in case in sedation is needed. I hope this information helps!

If it is truly just matted fur with normal skin underneath, you can use clippers with a very short (40) blade close to the skin to remove the mats. If he won't tolerate this should be able to find a groomer who will clip cats. If the skin underneath the mat does not look normal you should see a veterinarian: sometimes mats can form over a skin mass or infection.

Removing those clumps will be stressful for your kitty. The best would be to make an appointment with your vet for a shave under sedation. There could be sores underneath the mats which should be taken care of as well. Once the mats are gone I suggest you regularly brush and later comb Star to help with his grooming and clumps and mats will not reoccur.

Matts can be very painful to a cat, and if Buttons gets upset when you try to pull the hair apart or comb it, I would not do that anymore. Likely these matts will need to be shaved out. You can take her into the groomer to get that done, or if you have pet clippers, you can do it yourself at home. I do recommend having a groomer do it, however, as cats sometimes don't like being shaved and a groomer would have more experience on how to do it without stressing her out. Good luck, I hope this helps!

If Chubbs' fur coat is heavily matted, this can be quite painful and he may be pulling out the mats due to discomfort. Cats typically groom themselves well, but when cats do not do so, they can have underlying skin or endocrine conditions. Start by having Chubbs groomed to remove all mats, be sure to apply a high quality flea preventative (such as Advantage) once a month, and monitor his behavior and appetite for changes. Laxatone is an over the counter medication that can be helpful if Chubbs develops a problem with hairballs.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! i would see if your Vet can do it first. They will be more gentle, it may not look the best, but they will be conscious over her age and fragility. If she can not tolerate it then they can discuss maybe using light sedation. I hope this helps!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lily. Poor girl! Yes I would get those matts shaved out, they will be painful to her. I'd also recommend having her seen by a vet. She's stopped grooming herself for a reason, and it could be it's painful for her to groom. Arthritis is common in senior cats. A chronic illness, such as diabetes and kidney disease, could sap a cat's energy and lead them to not grooming. Both of those are common in senior cats. I recommend having her seen by a vet this week, and getting her a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis. I hope this helps!