Grooming long haired cat ... especially nether regions

We had a long haired cat for 20yrs and she would get mats under arms/legs she wouldn't tolerate grooming the only way we could do it was to wrap her in a towel then expose the bits where the mats were and use a ladys razor and very carefully managed to shave at the base of the mats till it came free. We did try other ways but she would go berserk and scratch me to pieces even if OH was attempting to hold her.

Oh no !! This is something I have nightmares about

We too had a long coat rag doll who had not been groomed as a kitten. He got very stressed if we took him to be groomed ( and even finding someone to do it was a nightmare .)

Once , after an accident where he needed some rear end cleaning we decided to give him a bit of trim . Rag dolls love people and go limp when you pick them up , so Grampy lifted him up, flipped him over while I started trimming! Sadly, he was so laid back and obviously enjoying it a tad too much that his winky put in an appearance and I SNIPPED it with my scissors !!!

Cue blood, cat shot off, Grampy visibly winced with a look of sheer horror !

Happily, it was VERY minor but I was too traumatised to try again ( as was the cat I imagine ) so we settled for grooming the bits he'd let us and getting the vet to check for matts any time he was there . They would whip out the offending lumps under a tiny bit of sedation. We often had a cat that looked a bit moth eaten with lumps cut out but at least he didn't risk neutering by scissors again .

Good luck !!

We used to have Persian Colourpoints and their fur was a nightmare. I'd never have another long haired cat, tbh. All you can do is groom as often as possible and try and put aside some pennies for an annual professional groom (which I didn't even know was a thing until recently!)

You could try a Furminator, too. It's not cheap but it seems kinder than any other tool we've used. If you do get one, make sure you get the correct one for the right animals and size and fur length, as there are loads. www.amazon.co.uk/FURminator-Long-Hair-DeShedding-Large/dp/B004WJ0L3Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1486231850&sr=1-1&keywords=furminator+cat&tag=gransnetforum-21

We have a furminator. Its a special one for long haired cats. Our Maine Coon loves being groomed with it. Expensive but its the only thing we've had that really works.

Oh no N&G how awful!! I won't tell my husband that, he is already worried about doing an injury. We got some blunt ended scissors, put a metal comb through the mat next to his skin, and snipped into the mat. He cried, but we hadn't cut him, he was just being a wuss, OH too worried to try that again. I know cats skin is very thin and easy to cut.

By using the comb and dematter we have cleared his armpits, but can't face bottom half!

Sue - Do you use the furminator round his bottom? It's good to have an actual recommendation. I had been looking at clippers too (actually OH needs some too lol) I never realised this problem when we kept them, but they are such lovely natured cats, part of the family now.

I know seacliff ! We've never recovered

We couldn't use clippers on our cat , he was as terrified of them as he was of the vacuum

Just don't let Donald Trump near them.
Pussies ? don't like being grabbed

N&G !
Not quite the same , but we have a longhaired border collie and she has the same problem. Matting at her back end which is impossible to wash or brush out. I call it her cushion.
So I clip the lumps off with a pair of sharp nail scissors - she hates it but otherwise would be smelly. It does grow back.

Well Chips has already been "done", but I'm sure he still wouldn't want the scissors anywhere near that area! If the Donald tried to grab scampy and chips he'd soon know about it .... Especially as they're boys! They might try to kill his wig. We are seeing the grooming Lady at the vets for trim without being knocked out. Will see how he reacts to that.

Seacliff we have short haired cats now so I don't know about Furminators and hairy rear ends - sorry!

Ha ha Sue, sorry just realised that it's Jane that knows all about that!

I have a long haired pure white cat who has shed fur balls and fine hairs over everything for the last 16years! Rear end problems are more common now and we just tackle her it with a towel, lots of water and then scissors but I am always scared of hurting her. She's beautiful but I'm moving to a new house in 4 weeks and dread the hair getting into every corner and on every surface. I haven't tried a Furminator and it sounds like I should. Can I just check - do they cut hair or just remove the loose ones?

Oh yuk and double yuk! - get a hamster!

Could have used that advice 16 years ago Luckygirl! Too late now, even though she's my DD's cat but, such a surprise, didn't move out with her!

I had a Persian a few years ago - Toby. He was like hell on earth and totally impossible. I took him to a groomers who refused to deal with him and Toby got worse, I took him to the vets in desparation who criticised me for not trying hard enough, who then promptly gave him anaesthetic and shaved him bald all but his tail!! It was not a happy period of my life, as I spent his entire life feeling guilty and exasperated in equal measures.

We have long haired Persian x and she is brushed every couple of days. I also search for the beginning of matts when she's on my knee and she allows me to gently tease them out with my fingers. I think the secret is to keep ahead of things and get to the matts before they're too big. We have always had long hairs and grooming hasn't been too problematic.

Clare1608 Furminators just seem to remove the loose hair. They're a kind of comb, I suppose, but seem to be kinder to the skin than a normal comb.

I don't know how your cat owners manage to clean them up - none of the cats we've had would have allowed it? Current one is shorthaired.
Our border collie isn't too happy about it, anything to do with her back end and she gives a very offended look, as if we're being rude .

We took Chippy to the vet groomer yesterday. He was so good, they removed all the knots/mats with electric clippers. He didn't need any sedation, they really knew what they were doing. They have shaved him quite short round his "bits". So now, we have to keep it under control every day.

His fur is entirely different to his brother, who's fur is also long but never mats.

The vet agreed the mat splitter we were using is good for future.

SueDonim have you got the right furminator for your cats fur? Ours is specially for cats with triple coats and really goes through the fur not just the top loose hairs. Baz puts up with it for a while and even enjoys it but then decides he's had enough! Its like a really deep massage for him I suppose.

I hadn't realised that this was such a widespread problem. When we had our little cairn terrier, we had to sort him out in the garden. Bathing and drying his back end. He was clipped regularly, but still got a dirty backside. When the time came for the cleaning up operation, he would look at us, and almost sigh, as if saying " oh well, get on with it then" we do miss him.

We also took his brother Scampy with us to the groomers. He has no mats, but they gave him what they called a poop shute, just a short trim round the bottom. It saves having to bathe their rest ends so often.

Rear ends!

Jane10 yes, I think it's the correct one. We bought it for our previous cat but she was short haired, too. It's one of these. www.furminator.net/en-eu/products/cats/deshedding

I used it on the boys today and got so much off the biggest one there was almost enough for a third cat!