Maine Coon: how to untangle my cat's hair?

Question

Hello, I'm here to share my experience and see if other people have been through the same experience as I did. I have a 3 year old Maine Coon cat. Very nice but quite fearful (even if she is making progress). I try to leave her alone, let her come to me so that she doesn't feel threatened, because she's afraid of everything. And overall, it worked well. However, I recently realised that she had knots so tight they look like dread locks, hidden under the rest of her hair. I know it's my fault, she hates being brushed so much that it scares me to do it, so I didn't do it enough ... So I got myself a mower, a brush and round-tipped scissors to tackle the problem. I cut a good part of it, but not everything. I almost had to "fight" with my cat to cut these horrible dread locks she had, she hated it. I would hold her really tight with one hand while carefully trimming the hair with the other. I'm all alone and it's really not easy. She meowed plaintively the whole time and tried to run away. I really feel like a torturer, actually! I gave tuna afterwards, but I don't think she understood it was to associate trimming her hair with something good. She looks at me suspiciously now and runs away when I walk next to her. Honestly, I don't know which of the 2 of us is the most traumatised ... Have you ever felt like this with your pet? Torn between having to take care of my cat for its own good; and afraid to break the bond that I have with her because we have to go this past experience again...

lolaholmes · Answer

It is true that sometimes we have to make our pets uncomfortable for a few moments for their own good. I've had lots of Persians over the years, so trust me, I know. In your case, removing the matting in your cat's coat has certainly saved her from skin diseases since knots prevent the skin from breathing and can result in nasty skin infections. You did the right thing.

To avoid hair clumps, common in Maine Coons, you should brush your cat everyday. It is possible to educate animals to accept daily care (clipping, brushing, taking medication). And, as a matter of fact, giving tuna to your cat was the right thing to do: to associate the treatment with a reward.

Take advantage of moments when you are stroking your cat to brush her at the same time. At first the brushing sessions will be very short, but if you increase the brushing sessions with treats, the cat will combine the two and put up less and less resistance.

If it's too hard to do it by yourself, don't hesitate to bring your cat to the vet. It's hard being a pet parent, but hang in there! :)