The Cats and the Mats

(apologies to Dr. Seuess...)

Four of the Magnificent Seven had developed nasty mats on their rear
quarters. Three of them (Fearless. Smokey and Cinder) are, I think,
just getting too old and stiff to groom properly, and with all the
remodeling, we'd fallen down on the job of brushing our masters
properly. Miss Kitty is just too darned fat to reach herself, age has
nothing to do with it.

We've never really had a problem of mats before this...whether because
all we had were mostly DSH, or because they all groomed anyway until
the went to the RB, I don't know. But a slicker brush has always
sufficed to make them smooth and pretty...so far.

Last week, I hit the local Petco and found 4 (four!!) kinds of de-
matting tools to try. A "rake"; a thing that looks like a curry comb,
which doesn't look like it ought to do anything, but it really does; a
smaller andall one direction version of a rake; and this thing that
looks like a women's disposable razor but isn't. (Does have sharp
edges though...). We also have a pair of "bandage scissors" that we
use for the worst ones.

By today, Cinder's mats are all clear, and she is LOVING the curry
comb treatment.
Smokey's mats are all clear, and she too is loving the curry comb
thing.

Miss Kitty only has 3 mats left but she's gotten so distressed with me
that she wo't let me near, even when I don't have anything in my hand.
She hops down from where she is and stalks off when I even get near.
Despite the kitty treats! (I figured food would certainly get her
attention, but noooooooo....)

Fearless has 2 good sized mats left, and one is much reduced because
I've been picking on it by hand when he les down in the crook of my
arm. He gets disgusted after a couple of minutes (at most) and gets up
and talks off in a huff. Then he comes right back and lays down. I
dunno about that cat....

I'm amazed at the amount of fur coming off these animals! There's
plenty ot make a coat with, I'll bet...

Debora
Only got scracthed once.