Cats
Lumpy Bumpy Kitties with orange furry cat illustration
Addressing Matting In Cat Boarding Clients in orange text
By Deborah Hansen
Yet again, you have pulled another cat out of their carrier for boarding and it is covered in hard, lumpy mats. How does this keep happening?

The biggest frustration is knowing the cat was just at the veterinarian for a boarding wellness check, yet still has significant matting. While some veterinarians will take the time to remove the matting or require the owner to leave the cat for grooming, many do not. Some will also take the owner’s word that they will seek grooming for the cat and others—for a variety of reasons—simply do not see matting as a medical issue.

Matting occurs when the dead coat that has been released by the hair follicle is trapped in the living coat due to a binding agent. Basically, when the coat sheds, it does not fall to the floor, instead it stays on the cat for a number of reasons. Pelting is when the matting covers the majority of the cat. Usually a pelted cat has matting from the skin to at least half way up the hair shaft. It is not unusual for a pelted cat to have some non-matted coat at the top where the owner pets them. This is why owners will often argue that their cat is not matted because they are not feeling deep enough into the coat.

Hair follicles on mammals go through different stages. First is the growth stage where you can observe the hair growing, followed by the resting stage as it prepares for the final stage of being released, also known as shedding. Some also consider an additional transitional stage when referring to hair growth. The problem for many cats begins when the hair leaves the follicle.

There are several ways in which the coat that was released gets trapped into the coat that is undergoing the growth or resting stage. The usual culprit is a binding agent of some kind, with the most common being the natural oils that build up on each hair strand of the feline.
There are several ways in which the coat that was released gets trapped into the coat that is undergoing the growth or resting stage. The usual culprit is a binding agent of some kind, with the most common being the natural oils that build up on each hair strand of the feline. Think of your own hair when it is not washed for a few days: When your hair hasn’t been washed, you can physically feel the greasy build-up. The same is true for felines. Some cats begin to produce natural oils at about two weeks while others can go three months or longer before the oils can be felt. Other binding agents can be something found in the cat’s environment. Often cats in homes with young children end up with matting from “ooey gooey” hands constantly touching them. Cats that live in garages sometimes get grease and oil on their coat. The ones that lay in wet bathtubs or showers get matting from the dampness added to the residue found on the surface of the tub or shower. When a binding agent is involved, the dead coat that sheds from the hair follicle simply cannot fall to the ground. It is literally glued into the living coat.
Owners tend to make the matting worse when they try to cut the mat out. When this happens, all the hair is now exactly the same length with a binding agent on the coat. The result will be more significant matting when the hair enters the growth cycle. Since all the coat is now exactly the same length and the base probably still has matting, the growing hair will not be able to find a path to grow around or “escape” the problem area. This makes the mat bigger over time.

Matting can become a serious issue. At first, there are small mats, usually on the hips, and the cat will do its best to try to remove these mats. Felines with this kind of matting are uncomfortable from lying on these lumps and because oxygen is not getting to the skin. As the matting progresses, cats lose mobility due to the coat on the legs becoming matted into the coat on the body. When this happens, the cat can feel the hair being pulled when they walk or jump. Matting becomes fatal when it progresses to the point where the cat physically cannot get up or walk to their food and water, or when matting expands over their anus making defecation impossible.

shaved cat illustration
Keep in mind though, it is important to notify the owners of grooming before the grooming happens. Nothing will cause more of a social media stir than a family returning home to a “naked” cat!
When you receive a cat into your care that is matted, professional grooming is the only option. Almost always, these cats need a lion cut to humanely remove the mats, followed by a bath to eliminate the binding agent from the remaining coat and skin. Attempting to comb or brush these mats out will pull on the coat that is in the growth or resting phase and cause pain to the cat. It also does not address the binding agent that will produce another mat somewhere else in the days or weeks ahead.

So, as a boarding business, what are the options? My concern is always for the health and comfort of the feline. I often fear if I turn these cats away, the owner will not take them somewhere else for help which will prolong the cat’s suffering. I believe it is important you do everything possible to help cats in this situation. If your facility does not offer feline grooming, arranging transportation so that these cats can be groomed during boarding is important for the comfort and mobility of the feline. Getting rid of the mats while in your care will make these cats more comfortable during the coming weeks. Keep in mind though, it is important to notify the owners of grooming before the grooming happens. Nothing will cause more of a social media stir than a family returning home to a “naked” cat!

It is always disheartening when a matted cat arrives for boarding, and it is even more frustrating when they just had a vet check. But, if we can help these owners by getting the cat groomed during boarding, it will make the cat feel more comfortable and decrease the chances of the mats getting worse over time.

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