Help! My Cat Has Mats
When a cat develops matting, there are only a few options as to how they can be removed. They can either be shaved or combed out. Cat mats are made up of clumps of dead hair, oily skin cells, and any goodies the cat has picked up by being on the floor, in the litterbox or under furniture. Mats are a thick patch of dead hair that is tight to the skin.
Brushing or combing it out is very painful and can rip the skin if you try to comb it out or cut it out with scissors. Skin can also be caught up inside the mat, which means you will cut your cat if you try removing the mat using a mat breaker or sharp object like scissors. Further, cats are quick and dematting is painful, so if you cat tries to jump or turns the wrong way, the risk of injury to you and your cat is great.
The photo below is terrifying for any cat groomer to view. Sharp scissors should never be used when working on cats. Cats can move fast and become impaled by the tip of the scissors resulting in emergency trip to vet.