My 13-year-old cat is shedding a lot and has matted fur. What to do?

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!

Your cat likely has arthritis or is not feeling well. Cats who do not clean themselves usually are either too lethargic to clean themselves or are in pain and cannot move well enough to properly clean themselves His teeth should also be checked. If he has a lot of tartar on his teeth, or red inflamed gums, grooming will also hurt. You should take him to your vet for an exam, and if the mats are very bad, a shave under anesthesia.

Hi Niki. 18 is a great old age for a cat but it is likely that she is starting to have some age related illnesses. Older cats may be prone to hyperthyroid which can make them lose weight, have skin issues and other problems. Renal (kidney) disease can also affect our older kitties. I would suggest that your dad's kitty see a veterinarian for a senior checkup and some bloodwork. Many of these conditions can be diagnosed on a bloodwork screen and there are multiple medical options to treat to give her the best quality of life in her golden years.

Ideally, take Buddy in to see your vet, so they can do a general physical exam and determine if there is suspicion for a problem with his skin itself such as an allergy, or if he seems to have any health issues that may be causing him discomfort (since he is meowing strangely). Cymric cats by nature have thick hair and a thick undercoat, so shedding is going to be more dramatic than in other cat breeds. It is sometimes difficult or impossible for these cats to groom themselves (lick their fur) well enough to prevent matting. Additionally, if he is painful anywhere (arthritis, etc) it is more difficult to groom. If his hair is matted, that can very uncomfortable because the matts pull on the skin. I suspect that is probably why he is biting at his hair. This discomfort could also be the cause of the pained "meowing." It may be helpful to get Buddy in to a groomer. He may need to be shaved to get the matts off, and often this may require sedation. Therefore a groomer that works at a veterinarian's office would be ideal. You can try to gently brush out the matts at home if he will let you, but if it causes him a great deal of discomfort or stress, don't overdo it at home. Again, my first recommendation is to take him to the vet--if no reason for this behavior is found, I would recommend getting him groomed. In the future to try to prevent the hair from becoming matted, brush him regularly at home (at least once a week), and you can try a product such as this: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-shed-reducing-cat-wipes Thanks for asking PetCoach!

If he isn't grooming as he once did, there may be an underlying medical cause, especially given his age. A physical exam by your veterinarian would be recommended along with blood work to assess major organ function.. If he gets a clean bill of health, you can discuss mild sedation and a clip down with the veterinarian.

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!