What Causes Matted Fur In Cats

If their formerly pristine sleek pelt is now dull and tufty it s time to wonder why this might be.

What causes matted fur in cats.

Indoor only and shorthaired cats can also get mats from a buildup of dust and dander. A possible health related cause is skin fungi. The main reason why your cat experiences matted hair is due to lack of grooming if you do not brush your cat s hair properly or leave it as is for an extended period then your feline friend will suffer from the clumps due to shedding and leaving the excess fur on his skin. If there are too many knots attached to the skin they can only be removed by shaving or cutting the animal s fur.

Fur can become matted for a variety of reasons. Illnesses such as hypothyroidism hyperthyroidism hypertension and kidney problems can cause dandruff and matted fur and these conditions are common in older kitties. While a lack of grooming sometimes is just part of old age many times there may be a medical cause for it in your elderly feline. Causes of matted hair in cats.

In most cases however the most common cause of matted cat fur is simply a cat s genetic predisposition. Has your kitty s fur gotten matted and dirty. When your cat sheds fur from her coat it can become tangled in the rest of the fur if not brushed away. Matted fur is a common symptom.

Mats can also form on the shoulders and hindquarters from the pressure of lying down. Sometimes cats also stop grooming when they are grieving or depressed. Other times it can be from accidents due to playing. It tends to occur on parts of your cat s body where there is a lot of rubbing or movement like between the legs under the chest under the tail and around the collar.

Skin flakes dead fur dust and skin oils cause matting. Most mats will come out with brushing but hard mats can require extra work. This can cause damage to its skin and cause conditions like lick granuloma. See our related article for much more about the causes of matted hair in cats.

No there are better ways to get rid of mats in your cat s fur. Cutting the clumps is a risky process and should only be the last resort that too at the hands of an expert cat groomer or a vet. What causes matted cat fur. What causes matting in hair anyway.

If your cat is predisposed to thick matted fur you may be able to control the condition with a simple change in diet. If you suspect this is the case you should take your cat to the vet to have. Can diet cause clumps in my cat s fur. What causes matted cat hair.

If you have an older cat try comparing then and now photos. Mats are clumps of hair that have become entangled or knotted over time. They pull on the skin and can cause quite a bit of pain. Can i cut the clumps on my cat s fur.

As it happens there are several reasons a cat might groom less and poor coat condition is a clue they need medical help.