Cats, Mats and Brushing Implements
Aug 05, 2025
I don’t care how diligently our cats clean themselves, they’re going to end up with mats. Short-haired, long-haired and in between, I don’t know what it is. It seems like since we’ve moved to 6800 ft, there is something about this house and cat fur that is incompatible.
I don’t remember other cats having such an issue with mats in their fur, and I’ve had cats for a long time. These cats do go outside, supervised. They brush against the bushes and groom themselves that way, in addition to the tongue routine. There are lots of opportunities to rid themselves of excess hair.
Personally, I think they like spa days.
Dude, where’s the brush? Ry and Jackson.
I’ve never had cats who enjoyed being brushed as much as these three. Even Ellie, our uber-sensitive long-haired tortie, will get in line. She has absolutely the worst mats in the world, whether we keep on top of them or not. One day she’ll be fine - the next she’s got mats on her flanks that a squirrel could use as nesting material without having to form the nest.
Ellie pretending to be one big mat
Today all three of them followed me around the kitchen waiting for their turn. I was trying to brush Ellie. The moment the brushes made an appearance, however, the other two were right there, pushing her out of the way and getting under the brushes. One brush has a rough side and a soft side. I was brushing Ellie with the soft side. Jackson positioned himself so that with every stroke he was being brushed with the rough side. Two cats with one stroke! They are relentless.
Ry frowned. I needed a third side on that brush. He did get his turn, but now I had two other frowning cats. Not a pretty sight.
The kitchen isn’t exactly an optimal place for cat brushing, but it’s where we were, and we’re the kind of people who let our cats on the counters. What’s a little fur in a bowl of gazpacho? Pick it out, keep eating. To say we’re not germaphobic is probably an understatement. (But we’re healthy, too - I ate dirt as a child. Cat hair is NOTHING.)
Ellie has been assisting with her mat problem by keeping her back legs and nether areas more or less fur free. Cats have skinny legs underneath all that fur. (The vet says she is fine, no parasites, no itchies, probably a product of a high-strung cat who hates to have mats cut off her body. She’s going to make sure we don’t have to get out the scissors.)
What’s the mat situation at your house?
Do your cats get matted up?
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