There’s nothing quite like petting a cat with a long, luxurious coat. The bad news is that long coats come with some challenges. It isn’t uncommon for cats to end up with matted fur, and it hurts!

Mats develop as a result of dead hair. Your cat’s coat is shedding and growing new hair all the time. If his fur is long and dense enough, that dead hair can get trapped. As it sits and collects in the coat, it starts to mat together.

These mats can become painful because they develop so close to the skin. As the dead hair entangles itself with the hair that’s still attached to your cat, it can pull on the hairs, making the area very tender and uncomfortable.

It’s important to groom your cat regularly to avoid mats. For help taking care of your cat’s mat problem, schedule an appointment with your professional Mt. Pleasant SC veterinarian.