Cats Natty Coat

[boosboss]

'Easy' one of my 12 year old cats has started to get a 'natty' coat. It's kind of like an old sheep skin rug.

It's been suggested that she may have just stopped cleaning herself However after a good brush (which is rare, as she's quite timid and any grooming is done on her terms), she does keep herself nice for a few days.

Is this something I should be particularly worried about, or is there something that I could give her to encourage her to groom herself?

[merledogs]

I'd be interested in responses to this one too. My Lily has quite a long coat and absolutely hates being groomed, so ends up with matted fur, which I then have to cut out (which she also hates)

[GoldenOldie]

This is something like 'old cat grooming' behaviour; as our cats get older some find it hard and tiring to be flexible and self groom and end up looking like a sheepskin rug that's been washed too many times!

I use a slicker brush when I see it starting and used very gently it loosens the matts and avoids the dreaded cutting!. The matts also reach a stage when they can be gently pulled and will come away quite easily. My 13 yr. old cat hates to be groomed and every year as he's got older I have to go through this ritual; I also have a permanent foster who is very old and fragile and only managed gentle grooming for about 5 mins. at a time until her matts were all gone.

I haven't had a long hair with this problem as my long hair rescues have all been so matted when they arrive they have had to be shaved.

Both in my old vet 's surgery and my current one it is an acknowledged problem with old cats and is apparently not uncommon.

Good luck with the de-matting!

Sally

[boosboss]

Thanks for the reply. I'm using a Zoom Groom, which tidys her up nicely. So I'll just keep at it.