Mat From Hades

[tiffers]

This little Persian kitty comes in every couple of months or so to be sedated and shaved down completely because of how matted he gets. (Because he's sedated, all his muscles relax and his eyes remain open...)

Well, just holding him he was hard as a rock...but, I was in for quite a surprise when I got to working on him!

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd182/tdyannd/WDVC/IMG_3799.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd182/tdyannd/WDVC/IMG_3800.jpg

I simply could NOT cut through the mat...it came off in one big hunk!

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd182/tdyannd/WDVC/IMG_3803.jpg

(I like this picture because it looks like he is doing a head stand!)

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd182/tdyannd/WDVC/IMG_3802.jpg

[tiffers]

We decided we could send it home with fluffy so he could wear it when he gets cold. Seriously, the thing has a little neck loop that will keep it on him... :p

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd182/tdyannd/WDVC/IMG_3804.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd182/tdyannd/WDVC/IMG_3805.jpg

[LillyKira]

ahaha! that is quite shocking lol i cant believe it all stayed together like that :P
aww bless, he looks like a real character, even under sedation lol
my exotic shorthair got very matted too, and my persian was shaven every summer too :P

[dlaura]

wow that is amazing

[Wiztherewoz]

Wow, bet he feels better for that.

[squashynose]

Their very own persian skin rug :D albeit a very small rug

[krazy4birds]

I have never seen anything like that in my life (and that is a long time lol).......
Wasn't being that matted hard on him????? I bet he feels better!

[dlaura]

Tiffers it appears as a whole nother fur coat was under that one - was it necessary to shave her more after removing the top layer?

I couldn't ask this when I replied last night as my kitty was insisting the computer was interfering with her snuggle time. LOL

[katiem]

I can imagine the nice small that must have come off that! Yuck!

Luckily kitty has you guys!

[tiffers]

Tiffers it appears as a whole nother fur coat was under that one - was it necessary to shave her more after removing the top layer?

The mat was so incredibly attached to the skin, I am surprised that the kitty was left with as much hair as he had! :eek:

[Bemm4]

All I can say is WOW! I bet kitty felt better after that was removed.

[_Lisa_]

That is absolutely crazy! I had no idea a mat could ever be so bad!

[tiffers]

I literally almost had to shave the kitty bald...like with a razor blade, I know the kitty felt better afterwards. I know if my hair is pulled too tight in a pony tail or something I have a terrible headache. I can't imagine that!

[special]

How is it that they allow Fluffy to get that bad in the first place? Mats DO hurt, that poor kitty must have been in agony.

I know a kitty who has a terrible tendency to mat (not my cat). I spend a lot of time splitting her mats (by hand) she growls and hisses and snaps, but will tolerate it for about 40 minutes.

The thing that hurts me most is, when hand splitting you can really see what the mat is doing...on many parts of her the skin was pulled into points, and worse, TWISTED points.

Each time I eased the pressure and pulling I could see her relax a bit, until I started on the next one. Sometimes I am actually crying as I work on her, I feel so bad for her.

[Evey]

We have a barn cat who gets mats & "peels" like that. He is an awesome little guy, but is not much into being handled. His mat always starts on his chest and he peels all down his front side. He only does this coming out of winter into the warmer weather. Once it is warm enough to sit outside & take a bath he has the most awesome coat all spring, summer & fall. Right now he is in his half naked mode.

Gotta say, I have never seen a whole kitty mat like that one.

[dlaura]

Ok I just have to ask............did Fluffy's owner actually take home the "mat" as a coat? I mean ewwwww!

[tiffers]

The lady is an elderly woman, and that's really all I can say. I don't know how the kitties get so bad... but, I just know the poor thing was miserable before being shaved.

[Um Tootous]

WOW! That is incredible ! I've had to de-mat Tootous in a few places, but thank goodness nothing like that.

[squashynose]

I hope you don't mind Tiff, but I've stuck some of those photos up in our cattery so people can see just how bad matting can get if they don't groom their cats

[tiffers]

That's fine. :) I don't mind at all, Emily.

[squashynose]

We just got a cat brought in by an Inspector. She was from us 15 years ago, as a kitten... DLH. The owner moved 4 years ago, and left the cat there, just arranged for someone to feed her. She's been living in a greenhouse, she's just one big mat. De-mat asap.