I have a cat named sachet' for about 5 years now. I brush her and give her baths. Sometimes there is a knot on her neck that gets so bad, that I have to cut it out and let her hair grow back.

I noticed that the last 3 weeks her hair is so matted at her scalp. I have tried everything. Why would it just get this way after 5 years?

I have always groomed her. I just don't really want to take her to a groomer because I know they will hurt her. She always lets me know if I pull on her hair or it hurts her.

How should I get the knots out. Her hair is so long and pretty, but at the scalp it is so matted. Anyone have any suggestions that I can do at home to make it tangle free. Thanks.

Have you ever used a "Matt Comb"? I use it on 2 of my cats and on my Portugese Water dog. It's basically a comb with these razors (but not as sharp as a razor) It helps seperate and "cut' the matt. If the matt isn't too close to the skin, they work great. If I have one that's close to the skin, I take a flea comb or a comb and try to get it under the matt so as to protect the skin and then I try to cut the matt off.

I don't know if I explained myself very well... :help:

Also, I have 2 longhaired cats over 15 and I am noticing more matts, so I don't know if it has to do with age and them not grooming themselves as much??

Have you ever used a "Matt Comb"? I use it on 2 of my cats and on my Portugese Water dog. It's basically a comb with these razors (but not as sharp as a razor) It helps seperate and "cut' the matt. If the matt isn't too close to the skin, they work great. If I have one that's close to the skin, I take a flea comb or a comb and try to get it under the matt so as to protect the skin and then I try to cut the matt off.

I don't know if I explained myself very well... :help:

Also, I have 2 longhaired cats over 15 and I am noticing more matts, so I don't know if it has to do with age and them not grooming themselves as much??

No, I have never heard of that. Were can I buy one at? Thanks.

Oh, any pet store would have them. They have bigger ones for dogs and smaller ones for cats. I haven't had to buy one for quite awhile but I think they are around $10.00 - maybe less. They really work well on matts that aren't too bad - the ones that are really bad, I just cut out. I hate matts - it's a constant battle lately to try and stay on top of them.....

Oh, any pet store would have them. They have bigger ones for dogs and smaller ones for cats. I haven't had to buy one for quite awhile but I think they are around $10.00 - maybe less. They really work well on matts that aren't too bad - the ones that are really bad, I just cut out. I hate matts - it's a constant battle lately to try and stay on top of them.....

No kidding! Constant struggle! I will never ever have a long haired cat in my house again!
We check Christina for mats several times day, mainly because she gets grumpy about the whole process really quickly. She can't stand being brushed, so most of the time I have to check with my hands, while sneaking in the occaisonal swipe with a comb. If we catch them early enough, we either try to work it out with our fingers, or clip it out with scissors. We only use scissors if we can feel a space between the mat and her skin. Since we check her frequently, it is very rare for a mat to get wrapped too tightly. Be VERY careful about cutting mats out that are very close to the skin!! Because the skin on a cat is very elastic, it can get tangled up *IN* the mat, so cutting it out will injure your cat!
We do bring Christina to the groomer/vet twice a year for a lion cut. After the initial grumpiness of waking up with no hair (we have them knock her out since she tends to go balistic on groomers if she's awake.), she struts around thinking she's the best looking thing since Marilyn Monroe....
While we're very diligent about mats, they happen. On occaison they happen more often than we can handle. If you're nervous about taking your cat to a groomer, interview a few in your area, ask how they handle cats, ask if you can watch them groom a few cats. There are a few out there who are very gentle and some that are a bit questionable. Just shop around until you find one that you're comfortable with.

do you have another cat in the house? my chinchilla baby get knots on her head and her neck from pookie my ginger trying to "help" and inadvertantly knotting the hair.. he is a short hair..

she detests being brushed, so we shave her every 6 months or so...:)

My long haired kitty keeps getting really bad hairballs even though I brush her all the time, so I am considering taking her for a haircut. Maybe that could help your kitty too.