Is it okay to scruff my cat's neck when shaving matted fur?

We do routinely shave cats that have matted or soiled fur. How easy this will be will depend on your cat's personality, so you may need to enlist the help of a professional groomer! They have special groomer clippers to shave the fur to different lengths so hopefully they can keep some of her hair, or they may be able to remove the burrs. It also might be helpful getting a detangler or creme rinse made for pets and spraying it on the areas and then trying to comb over the areas with a fine comb, as it may loosen the burrs from the fur and help you avoid having to shave her! I wouldn't recommend using scissors to trim her down as it is very easy to accidentally cut a cat's thin skin. You will also want to keep her indoors if it is cold in your area and her coat is still short.

There is nothing OTC that you can safely give that will effectively calm her down enough for grooming. You may need to have her lightly sedated by your veterinarian so she can be safely shaved or clipped. Using scissors at home can lead to a laceration if you aren't careful. An exam is also a good idea to determine why Xena is not grooming herself.

I think the only negative thing about shaving this cat may be, that the colony may not recognize her and therefore chase her away. However if you could find a home for her after having her shaved, that would be perfect, especially since she is so sweet. Shaving in general is not a problem,, especially not if the fur is as badly caked as you describe. Temperatures in the 70ies are ok for that.

Some vets can sedate cats and then groom them or even clip them short so that you don’t need to worry about brushing as frequently. You could also try a pheromone diffuser or spray like Feliway if it’s available near you but it may not be quite enough to get the job done.

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.

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.