Everybody knows, cats groom themselves right?
NO!! Cat's LICK themselves, spreading dander, Fel D1 Allergen Protein, and general ickiness on their coats. They also ingest huge amounts of fur during the process which causes hairballs and often intestinal blockages.
Cats Groom Themselves don’t they? The short answer... NO!! They LICK Themselves.
Although licking is a leisurely past time for most cats, it does not solve any of the problems that professional grooming will address. Shedding, hairballs, tangles, mats, dirty hindquarters, eye stains, ingrown claws, fleas, dandruff and other skin conditions can not be solved by your cat alone.
Allergic Reactions For Humans
Increased allergic reactions for humans is caused by cats licking their fur and coating it with dead skin cells called ‘dander’ which have high levels of the Fel D1 protein that causes allergic reactions. Traces of cat urine on the paws and hind quarters from using the litter box contains even higher levels of Fel D1 protein than saliva!
Cats are naturally very greasy
The largest culprit for causing mats in your cat's coat is the oils their skin produces. The natural oils build up over time causing fur and dirt to stick together in clumps. Many people have a false belief that cat's groom themselves by licking. Licking does not remove any of the grease from the cat’s skin and coat which then combined with the natural shedding process spells disaster for both long and short haired cats. Clumping and matting does not discriminate!
How clumps are formed:
As the hair sheds, the greasiness causes it to stick together in a clump. The loose dead fur gets stuck to these oils and cannot fall away from the body. This starts out as a small tangle of hair but eventually grows and becomes tighter and thicker as more hair sheds and cannot fall away. This clump of matted hair, if not removed, will become bigger and more uncomfortable for the cat as it tightens, pulling the skin into the matted tangle.
If left, the mat will grow into a pelt that covers its body. The cat will then be at risk of developing skin irritation, infection, flea bite dermatitis (a hypersensitivity to flea bites from fleas trapped under matting/pelting).
Matting and pelting is a serious health risk for your cat
Sever matting will hinder a cat’s ability to walk properly and even hamper its ability to urinate and defecate, causing sepsis and eventually death.
Lion Clip and Shaving
The only humane solution for a badly matted cat is to shave off the matts. As a trained professional cat groomer, I'm skilled at handling all temperaments of cats and will safely provide them with a stylish Lion Clip hairstyle. I also work with my clients to help educate owners on how to maintain their cat's coats so that in the future hopefully they won't continue to require to be shaved.
As Nashville's premier In-Home Cat Groomer, I will assess your cat and discuss with you the best option(s) for your cat, based on temperament, health issues, age and condition of skin and coat.
I use superior quality professional grooming equipment
Cat-safe and eco-friendly products.