As our feline friends age, hair coat maintenance can become quite a chore. If they enjoy being brushed or detangled, as pet owners we can certainly help. But not all cats enjoy being groomed. Thankfully, most cats do a pretty good job of fur maintenance with regular self-grooming. The tongues of cats are barbed, acting like a hairbrush and allowing tangles to be pulled out. But eventually the act of self-grooming can become more difficult with age. The hair coat starts to look disheveled and matting begins to affect the comfort of our feline companions. If mats are left unattended, they create regional skin issues that are quite painful so professional grooming may be indicated to ease this discomfort.
The most common reasons for the hair coat to look unkempt and matted in a geriatric cat are:
Dental disease (my mouth hurts)
Arthritis especially of the spine (my back hurts to turn and groom). This is especially noticeable if the front legs and head are still pristine but the ridge of the spine and tailhead is matted.
Dehydration (from a multitude of reasons)
If you notice your aging pet’s coat is looking more disheveled than in their younger years, a thorough check up can help isolate the problem and help Sylvester get back on track.
