Should I worry about trimming my long-haired cat's mats in winter?

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.

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Tulip! The mats are painful, cause itching and could cause skin issues. If she will allow you to shave them (do not use scissors) then great. Other options are traveling groomers that come to your house or scheduling a sedated shave down with your vet. Maybe they can provide an oral sedative before hand so you can catch her and make the car ride less awful. I hope this helps and happy holidays.

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!

Yes, it's fine to keep Bella in an air-conditioned room. You may want to leave out a blanket she can curl up in just in case she gets cold. You can also considered getting her a cat sweater to wear to keep her warm. I have a Persian cat as well, and I have to shave him because of his mats. I have a sweater for him to wear after that for a few weeks until his fur is a bit longer so that he doesn't get cold. Check a local pet store or the internet for sweaters for cats. I actually use a toy breed sized dog sweater, which fits my cat perfectly. I hope this helps :-)

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.

No, it is not necessary to shave her. The coats are specially designed to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter and it offers protection in both instances. You can refer to this article for more information. https://www.vettedpetcare.com/vetted-blog/should-i-shave-my-cat-for-summer/