Thread: Maine Coon Grooming Basics

Originally Posted by Walter Coonkat

Okay ... I have no problem cutting out most mats with scissors, but how do others here get rid of the small mats that are very close to the skin?

Also, while I am thinking of it -- what areas of the skin are most tender and thus require special care when combing/brushing/removing mats?

I'd say the britches are the most sensitive, I hit a snag in Samantha's britches she'd cry hiss swat and run all in about a 1/10th of a second, she'd come back in a couple minutes and I'd apologize for hurting her and she'd let me know she was sorry for swatting me.
Bit I imagine it's very tender skin there.
If there's a down side to Maine Coon ownership it's how fast they mat up on their rear ends, once my ex left I could trim by myself so it was 2-3 times a year trips to the groomer luckily I found a good groomer close to my house where they'd loved Samantha and would schedule me when there were no dogs in the shop and get her in and out pretty quickly.

Under armpits & around those private parts are also places where care extra is needed,even though his bits are gone when you do Shimba in that area you would think he still had them,I also find it easy to get a thumb nail under the smaller mats a tease them a bit looser & then just pull them out,something that you can work on while they are having that cuddle time with you,although thinking about it I expect you gentlemen on the forum might have to go & have a nail extension attatched,no need to have a glittery pattern on it though...!

I've found a stitch picker/seam ripper to be a very handy tool. Once you get proficient with it, you can easily hide it in your hand and pretend to be doing something else, whilst cutting knots and mats quickly. Just be careful not to prick the cats skin with the sharp bit. I've never pricked any of the cats, but I've stuck it in my own hand numerous times

One of my cats comes and requests to be brushed several times a day. Thanks to this habit, she seldom has mats.
Anastasia, her sister, has longer and thinner hairs which get matted easily despite regular brushing with PetZoom (brush w/short wires)
Furminator IS NOT FOR REMOVING MATS. In our house it is only used 2-3 times a year during shedding season when I have no time to deal with clumps of hair lying everywhere. I have a high quality device and know how to use it.
You have to make short strokes rather than pulling motion, and advance Furminator forward with each stroke.
I tried mat breakers, my husband's electric "personal groomer for beard and mustache" ,etc., and nothing works better than a comb plus small scissors with slightly blunt ends. If the mat is close to the skin I use multiple runs with scissors to avoid nicks.