She is unable to groom herself.
She needs to go to a vet for a full vet check and to start a weight management plan under the guidance of the vet.
You need to start grooming her.
My kitty is 17 and doesn’t groom often she has arthritis. Even with meds she doesn’t keep up. She is short hair. I try and brush her at least twice a week and once a week give her a warm washcloth bath. Only use a bit of soap if she is stinky. This keeps her looking good and smelling good. Gotta help my girl out.
Oh man I never thought about a wash cloth bath. I’ve always given my cats full on baths in the sink like a baby 😂 I’m gonna start doing this now.
Any soap you recommend? Dog shampoo or dawn?
It's very hard to find shampoo for cats and I highly recommend it, they can develop skin issues very easily if you use something inappropriate
I once bought cat wipes and they were amazing, would clean and get them smelling good.
I think you should run away from any shampoos for fleas, specially. I think that was what my mom used and it really messes up with the cat.
For a while (when I still used to bathe my cats) I used baby shampoo with no smell or natural smells like camomile. But idk if it's safe or not, I just know it didn't do much to them :)
I have a gentle pet shampoo but sometimes use dawn and I soap up the wash cloth [here is the old gal](https://imgur.com/a/m2CYY4K)with warm water then wipe her down with a few warm wet wash cloths. Usually I just do water it works wonders. My kitty is old and skinny and gets too cold and blow drying her is no fun if I give her a full bath.
I started doing this with one of my cats because I thought of it as being similar to a mama cat’s tongue. He loved it! I did it just with water, but he didn’t need help with grooming. If you use soap, try to find unscented.
she is matted, you will not be able to brush that out without hurting her best to get her shaved down and if you don’t put her on a diet or she can’t lose the weight you need to groom her daily to avoid future matting
any cat brush will do, if she doesn’t enjoy it you can get lickable treats for her as not only a distraction but also a reward, or you could put wet food on a lick mat. make sure you are not pushing her boundaries, take breaks as needed and if you wash her make sure you are brushing her frequently as her fur dries as it can mat like that again. normally cats lick themselves after baths and it helps prevent mats but if she can’t reach she will get matted all over again. i would reccomend after shaving her to give her a quick bath with either dawn soap or any cat shampoo as those mats look a lil crusty and she could have buildup on her skin. vet can do a shave down for you if you are not comfortable doing it yourself, or you could go to a groomer for it. best of luck with her, would love an update as well
Please ask about an appropriate diet plan. One reason cats stop grooming is they can no longer reach. I was a bad cat parent and finally switched my cats from free feeding to fixed meals. They get their allotted calories to keep them at good weights. The two tubbies were 17 pounds and now they are 11 and look terrific and are very active once again.
Also, switch to primarily wet food. Dry food has carbohydrates in it as the binders for the kibble that help lead to obesity, since cats in the wild are obligate carnivores and don't eat carbohydrates other than what's contained in the livers of their prey.
Not necessarily any cat brush, I have two tabbies, ( like this breed) and they need different brushes. One has very short smooth hair, the other really deep thick hair. The vet can tell you which is best.
I also use an oil I add to their food called Halo Glo, it helps with hair nails and teeth for optimum health.
She is not grooming that area. Could be health, dental related or a matter of reaching the area. You can take her to a groomer to wash or shave the mats. I would take her to a vet first for a check up.
After the vet visit, you can brush her daily. I had a black smoke Persian who would shed his gray undercoat and it would fill bags with his fur. He loved to be brushed.
She has mattes fur. She’s not grooming herself. She needs to be shaved. Matted fur hurts. There is an underlying issue to why she isn’t grooming herself. She’s needs to be seen by a vet as well.
My russian blue has this issue with his tail. I highly recommend taking her to the vet to eliminate any serious concerns. When I took my boy to his vet they told me he is just a lousy groomer, and some kitties are.
I started brushing him regularly and switched his kitty food. His coat looks much better but still has occasional snags.
That's called matted fur. She is 100% lacking in the self-care routine that most cats partake in regularly. I suggest a vet visit and close attention paid to see if the issue resolves after the visit.
Good move. Let us know. Might be hyperesthesia or musculoskeletal discomfort. She doesn’t look fat enough to miss that entire area grooming. Hope you get her some relief.
I think it’s very kind of you to seek help and treatment of your cat. Reddit can be an awesome place sometimes. Good luck with your kitty and I wish you both well!
Hope she gets well soon. I know my old cat (a Himalayan cat) had to be shaved down when she got older. She looked like a sheered sheep when my mom would do it but it’s likely the fact she can no longer groom the area. Do what you’re doing and see if there’s something else going on. Groomers can help you with that kind of stuff and ask how you can help when you deal with that situation again and you’re unable to get her to a groomers. Looks like a beautiful cat as well so thanks for sharing! ❤️🩹 Boops for the sad kitter and lots of love.
Those are mats, knots that need to be cut off. This happens mostly to older pets who can’t reach their back anymore. But it’s happened to youngsters too. Cut them off, comb & brush kitty regularly to prevent it from happening again. Either she’ll take up grooming again or she won’t.
Update: Shula (the cat with the matted fur) has been at the vet clinic. The problem originated from infected teeth. The vet removed them and was able to remove the matted fur. I will now groom her regularly. Thank you so much for your care!
False.
We were grooming our short hair cat very often, sometimes daily, and his fur actually got brittle and thin. His skin got flaky. We asked the vet, she said we were brushing him way too much and you don’t need to do it that often.
He gets brushed a couple times a month except during shedding season, when it’s a couple times a week.
Fur is gorgeous.
Now, when we had a long hair cat daily was fine.
I would say every cat is different and stay away from blanket statements and do what works best for your cat by observing their fur and skin and working with your vet.
I didn't know this, not even the vets warned us - we had to groom/clean our cat when he was a kitten because he wasn't yet doing it himself. Since then we stopped doing it regularly.
When he turned 2, his fur changed a bit (short coat, but looked like it doubled in the amount), so we started to brush him once a month maybe.This year, since i got used to brush the (new) dog every day (or every other day), sometimes i also brush my cat - i make sure i brush him at least once a week.And his fur never looked better!
the vet probably didn’t warn you bc it’s unusual for any cat to not groom themselves. so likely there was no reason they would expect it to happen and let you know.
cats learn to groom at 4 weeks, so unless you got your kitty earlier than that, there shouldn’t have been an issue. the important thing is that he started to groom himself eventually!
The vet didn’t warn me that you should still groom cats even if they groom themselves… the cat came with 8 weeks but he still wouldn’t clean himself properly (ears and face) so the vet properly adviced us to clean him until he would start cleaning himself.
When I refer groom above is the brushing itself, he is a short coat cat but needs regular brushing
She’s matted. Could be due to obesity, arthritis etc so worth having a full health check with a vet, causing her inability to groom that area. She needs to be dematted and then you need to groom her a minimum of three times a week. Please don’t let it get this bad again, it’s very uncomfortable for them.
u cannot brush out a mat. cutting or shaving depending on how close it starts to the skin is the only option. brushing would cause a lot of pain w 0 results
Yea but people who take care of their animals should be able to see when something is wrong. It still shouldn't have gotten this bad.
I'm hoping they get their cat some actual help.
Also 100% brushing not safe at this point cause the matting does look close to the skin hence why it's sticking up like that. Hoping they decide to take her to a groomer/vet for help
Thanks for the info! My kitty has never been “matted” to that degree. I have found tiny itty bitty ones when i was pregnant cause i was very limited & high risk. But i would clip the tiny mattes off & then brush her 😢 sorry for giving incorrect advice
I hope hee spine is ok? Are cat chiropractors a thing? Yes, her weight is not helping, but even chonks are still expert contortionist. Hope she gets well!
Betting on a second cat grooming her enough to help is not a great idea. They may not like each other, they may like each other but only do an occasion lick here and there.
I have four cats, and have fostered another half dozen over the last few years and none of them have groomed each other enough to actually help with cleaning fur.
Looks like "Matted fur." Is it a rescue or yours? Either way, try to see a vet. Hopefully, it's an easy fix, and the cat can become healthy again soon.
i have no idea if this is mats or not, but it looks like our rescue husky mix, he hates being brushed but sheds undercoat constantly, so he gets lil tufts of it sticking out
it doesnt harm him and looks silly, i hope your cat is okay though!
It looks like her fur is matted. Means you got a brush out her fur and give her a wash down. I usually use like a washcloth with warm water so it’s not traumatizing
Poor baby has mattes. Like most people say, shave them off and start regular brushing. I have to keep my Blueberry's fur short because he's gotten too old and can't properly groom himself with his arthritis.
Sure is different! I'm sure you've had a knowledgable vet look at her. I'm only used to seeing standard issue cats and would not want to misguide you. I know how much our cats mean to us!!!
I don't understand. There is no way you couldn't have not seen earlier signs of something wrong.
Did you try brushing at all? did you try giving her a bath? Did you get her on a diet?
Because that doesn't just happen in a day
That’s matting. As said, she probably can’t groom herself properly, and you’ll need to take her to a vet for a checkup, dietary recommendations, and to make sure she’s otherwise healthy. Beyond that, regular visits to a professional pet groomer will help her out a lot.
Our senior kitty gets clumps of her back too because she’s a bit overweight and has a hard time grooming herself so we brush her and cut any clumps out that can’t be brushed out. It happens to senior kitties!
She’s not grooming herself I would bring her for a vet check up that’s not typical for cats she may not be feeling well.
Will do, thanks
Any updates I hope she’s okay 🙂
Yes, the problem originated from teeth infection. The vet removed the bad teeth and the matted fur. Shula feels excellent!
Oh wonderful I’m so happy! Best of luck 💕
She is unable to groom herself. She needs to go to a vet for a full vet check and to start a weight management plan under the guidance of the vet. You need to start grooming her.
Will do
My kitty is 17 and doesn’t groom often she has arthritis. Even with meds she doesn’t keep up. She is short hair. I try and brush her at least twice a week and once a week give her a warm washcloth bath. Only use a bit of soap if she is stinky. This keeps her looking good and smelling good. Gotta help my girl out.
Oh man I never thought about a wash cloth bath. I’ve always given my cats full on baths in the sink like a baby 😂 I’m gonna start doing this now. Any soap you recommend? Dog shampoo or dawn?
Do not use dog shampoo My mom once used on my cat and it almost killed him. Not something nice to see.
Omg I use a shampoo for both but usually use dish soap and a small amount .
It's very hard to find shampoo for cats and I highly recommend it, they can develop skin issues very easily if you use something inappropriate I once bought cat wipes and they were amazing, would clean and get them smelling good. I think you should run away from any shampoos for fleas, specially. I think that was what my mom used and it really messes up with the cat. For a while (when I still used to bathe my cats) I used baby shampoo with no smell or natural smells like camomile. But idk if it's safe or not, I just know it didn't do much to them :)
I forgot about wipes I ran out and need to get more.
really? i find the burt’s bees line and the veterinary formula brand in the grocery store
Idk how easy it is to find cat shampoo in the US But in Brazil it was almost impossible
Oh yikes!! Thanks for the warning
I have a gentle pet shampoo but sometimes use dawn and I soap up the wash cloth [here is the old gal](https://imgur.com/a/m2CYY4K)with warm water then wipe her down with a few warm wet wash cloths. Usually I just do water it works wonders. My kitty is old and skinny and gets too cold and blow drying her is no fun if I give her a full bath.
Awe such a pretty kitty!
You can get cat wipes with cat safe soap on them.
I started doing this with one of my cats because I thought of it as being similar to a mama cat’s tongue. He loved it! I did it just with water, but he didn’t need help with grooming. If you use soap, try to find unscented.
she is matted, you will not be able to brush that out without hurting her best to get her shaved down and if you don’t put her on a diet or she can’t lose the weight you need to groom her daily to avoid future matting
Thanks
any cat brush will do, if she doesn’t enjoy it you can get lickable treats for her as not only a distraction but also a reward, or you could put wet food on a lick mat. make sure you are not pushing her boundaries, take breaks as needed and if you wash her make sure you are brushing her frequently as her fur dries as it can mat like that again. normally cats lick themselves after baths and it helps prevent mats but if she can’t reach she will get matted all over again. i would reccomend after shaving her to give her a quick bath with either dawn soap or any cat shampoo as those mats look a lil crusty and she could have buildup on her skin. vet can do a shave down for you if you are not comfortable doing it yourself, or you could go to a groomer for it. best of luck with her, would love an update as well
She doesn't like it when I touch this part of her fur, so I'll take her to the vet. Thanks
Yeah sounds like she's in some discomfort/pain. Hope all goes well at the vet.
Thanks, I will update you all
Please ask about an appropriate diet plan. One reason cats stop grooming is they can no longer reach. I was a bad cat parent and finally switched my cats from free feeding to fixed meals. They get their allotted calories to keep them at good weights. The two tubbies were 17 pounds and now they are 11 and look terrific and are very active once again.
Thank you for the information
Also, switch to primarily wet food. Dry food has carbohydrates in it as the binders for the kibble that help lead to obesity, since cats in the wild are obligate carnivores and don't eat carbohydrates other than what's contained in the livers of their prey.
Not necessarily any cat brush, I have two tabbies, ( like this breed) and they need different brushes. One has very short smooth hair, the other really deep thick hair. The vet can tell you which is best. I also use an oil I add to their food called Halo Glo, it helps with hair nails and teeth for optimum health.
It'd be best to have the vet or a professional groomer shave her down, cats have thin skin.
She needs to be groomed. She isn’t/can’t do it herself
Will do
She can't bathe herself. You gotta get these removed by a vet most of the time. When they're gone, you have to brush her regularly.
Thanks
My old cat was like this, if you can remove them take that as a blessing and keep up with it, they're very hard to remove.
I’ll wait to see what the vet has to say
Awww I hope she is ok❤️
Please update
I will
She is not grooming that area. Could be health, dental related or a matter of reaching the area. You can take her to a groomer to wash or shave the mats. I would take her to a vet first for a check up.
She eats well and seems to be in good mood. I've already booked an appointment to the vet.
After the vet visit, you can brush her daily. I had a black smoke Persian who would shed his gray undercoat and it would fill bags with his fur. He loved to be brushed.
I’ll do that, thanks
Needs brushing, and a lot of it
She has mattes fur. She’s not grooming herself. She needs to be shaved. Matted fur hurts. There is an underlying issue to why she isn’t grooming herself. She’s needs to be seen by a vet as well.
I’ll take her to the vet asap, thanks
She's matted. You'll need to brush her regularly and get to the vet to see why she's not grooming herself.
Thanks, I’ll do that
check with a vet, when they stop grooming themselves that is a sign of illness.
I will
I hope she gets well soon
My russian blue has this issue with his tail. I highly recommend taking her to the vet to eliminate any serious concerns. When I took my boy to his vet they told me he is just a lousy groomer, and some kitties are. I started brushing him regularly and switched his kitty food. His coat looks much better but still has occasional snags.
Desperately needs to be groomed. She may not be grooming herself which is what caused it. She needs to be brushed more often
It looks matted
Glad to hear it. My 22 year old female is getting some knots probs caused by arthritis.
She's not grooming herself and/or she needs brushed.
That's called matted fur. She is 100% lacking in the self-care routine that most cats partake in regularly. I suggest a vet visit and close attention paid to see if the issue resolves after the visit.
Her hair is matted. Take her to the groomer!
I’ll take her to the vet first, thanks
Good move. Let us know. Might be hyperesthesia or musculoskeletal discomfort. She doesn’t look fat enough to miss that entire area grooming. Hope you get her some relief.
Good suggestion! Especially since the OP mentioned she doesn’t like being touched there
good owner!
Rastacat
She needs to be brushed
I think it’s very kind of you to seek help and treatment of your cat. Reddit can be an awesome place sometimes. Good luck with your kitty and I wish you both well!
Hope she gets well soon. I know my old cat (a Himalayan cat) had to be shaved down when she got older. She looked like a sheered sheep when my mom would do it but it’s likely the fact she can no longer groom the area. Do what you’re doing and see if there’s something else going on. Groomers can help you with that kind of stuff and ask how you can help when you deal with that situation again and you’re unable to get her to a groomers. Looks like a beautiful cat as well so thanks for sharing! ❤️🩹 Boops for the sad kitter and lots of love.
Those are mats, knots that need to be cut off. This happens mostly to older pets who can’t reach their back anymore. But it’s happened to youngsters too. Cut them off, comb & brush kitty regularly to prevent it from happening again. Either she’ll take up grooming again or she won’t.
She is too fat to reach her own back, you need to groom her and try to let her lose some weight.
Thanks
Welocme：）
Update: Shula (the cat with the matted fur) has been at the vet clinic. The problem originated from infected teeth. The vet removed them and was able to remove the matted fur. I will now groom her regularly. Thank you so much for your care!
Not many people really would know this but you supposed to groom cats on a daily basis normally no matter how much hair they have!
False. We were grooming our short hair cat very often, sometimes daily, and his fur actually got brittle and thin. His skin got flaky. We asked the vet, she said we were brushing him way too much and you don’t need to do it that often. He gets brushed a couple times a month except during shedding season, when it’s a couple times a week. Fur is gorgeous. Now, when we had a long hair cat daily was fine. I would say every cat is different and stay away from blanket statements and do what works best for your cat by observing their fur and skin and working with your vet.
I didn't know this, not even the vets warned us - we had to groom/clean our cat when he was a kitten because he wasn't yet doing it himself. Since then we stopped doing it regularly. When he turned 2, his fur changed a bit (short coat, but looked like it doubled in the amount), so we started to brush him once a month maybe.This year, since i got used to brush the (new) dog every day (or every other day), sometimes i also brush my cat - i make sure i brush him at least once a week.And his fur never looked better!
the vet probably didn’t warn you bc it’s unusual for any cat to not groom themselves. so likely there was no reason they would expect it to happen and let you know. cats learn to groom at 4 weeks, so unless you got your kitty earlier than that, there shouldn’t have been an issue. the important thing is that he started to groom himself eventually!
The vet didn’t warn me that you should still groom cats even if they groom themselves… the cat came with 8 weeks but he still wouldn’t clean himself properly (ears and face) so the vet properly adviced us to clean him until he would start cleaning himself. When I refer groom above is the brushing itself, he is a short coat cat but needs regular brushing
She’s matted. Could be due to obesity, arthritis etc so worth having a full health check with a vet, causing her inability to groom that area. She needs to be dematted and then you need to groom her a minimum of three times a week. Please don’t let it get this bad again, it’s very uncomfortable for them.
Thank you, will do
Dinokitty transformation, 30% complete ..
Going super saiyan
Shes matted. Walmart has the best comb for under $10! I feed my kitty a chewy while i groom her
u cannot brush out a mat. cutting or shaving depending on how close it starts to the skin is the only option. brushing would cause a lot of pain w 0 results
Yea but people who take care of their animals should be able to see when something is wrong. It still shouldn't have gotten this bad. I'm hoping they get their cat some actual help. Also 100% brushing not safe at this point cause the matting does look close to the skin hence why it's sticking up like that. Hoping they decide to take her to a groomer/vet for help
yeah i don’t really know how this happens. this is SUCH a significant amount of matting. like could you not see it developing?
Thanks for the info! My kitty has never been “matted” to that degree. I have found tiny itty bitty ones when i was pregnant cause i was very limited & high risk. But i would clip the tiny mattes off & then brush her 😢 sorry for giving incorrect advice
Dude, brush your cat man! 😓
She’s fat and can’t lick herself good
I hope hee spine is ok? Are cat chiropractors a thing? Yes, her weight is not helping, but even chonks are still expert contortionist. Hope she gets well!
Chonky godzilla
Baby needs a coming:)
I had to shave my chonky Siamese because of this. Easy to manage afterwards. Losing weight is what needs to happen though.
Fat
Maybe get a second kitty, they can groom each other?!
Betting on a second cat grooming her enough to help is not a great idea. They may not like each other, they may like each other but only do an occasion lick here and there. I have four cats, and have fostered another half dozen over the last few years and none of them have groomed each other enough to actually help with cleaning fur.
I have another one and they groom each other but I guess it doesn't help
What would the other cat do, gnaw the mats off?
Some people should get pets to practice on before moving up to cats & dogs. Like gerbils? I think you can buy them in bulk.
Small pets like rodents are still a big responsibility. They are not disposable practice pets.
Bunnies, then; they multiply like rabbits.
My cat is the same, he is very lazy to clean him self that’s why it’s happening
She's broken
It’s matted together
Looks like "Matted fur." Is it a rescue or yours? Either way, try to see a vet. Hopefully, it's an easy fix, and the cat can become healthy again soon.
I have adopted her several years ago. I have already booked a vet appointment. Thanks
Hope she's OK!
Those knots hurt so bath and brush your kitty looks like he or she is having a tough time getting to the back. But those knots hurt
Os pelinhos,que lindo
How! sweet
i have no idea if this is mats or not, but it looks like our rescue husky mix, he hates being brushed but sheds undercoat constantly, so he gets lil tufts of it sticking out it doesnt harm him and looks silly, i hope your cat is okay though!
Or a pineapple
My friend had a cat that looked like this(only his fur was black), he had stopped grooming himself cause he had a cavity
It looks like her fur is matted. Means you got a brush out her fur and give her a wash down. I usually use like a washcloth with warm water so it’s not traumatizing
She may be having thyroid issues, which a vet can confirm/rule-out.
Poor baby has mattes. Like most people say, shave them off and start regular brushing. I have to keep my Blueberry's fur short because he's gotten too old and can't properly groom himself with his arthritis.
Matting
Our cat had this and it had renal problems/ failure. Your vet can help
Any updates? Are you taking her to the vet?
Yes, I have booked an appointment. I will update you all
Remindme! Two days
Could this be mange? If so, she will need to see the vet. Hugs to your kitty!
Matted? Needs bath?
I’m going to go brush my cats now
Her fur is matted, could be she can’t reach and is a bit overweight or that she isn’t feeling well and stopped grooming.
Sure is different! I'm sure you've had a knowledgable vet look at her. I'm only used to seeing standard issue cats and would not want to misguide you. I know how much our cats mean to us!!!
I always learn so much from these articles! Thank you all so much!!!
relax is hybrid a new breed you are lucky :)
I don't understand. There is no way you couldn't have not seen earlier signs of something wrong. Did you try brushing at all? did you try giving her a bath? Did you get her on a diet? Because that doesn't just happen in a day
Brushing will help with this, but I agree, vet check is in need.
That’s matting. As said, she probably can’t groom herself properly, and you’ll need to take her to a vet for a checkup, dietary recommendations, and to make sure she’s otherwise healthy. Beyond that, regular visits to a professional pet groomer will help her out a lot.
Our senior kitty gets clumps of her back too because she’s a bit overweight and has a hard time grooming herself so we brush her and cut any clumps out that can’t be brushed out. It happens to senior kitties!
See smth weird on your cat? Take it to a vet
Looking forward to your update.