Clippers for Cats

June 24, 2024 1:36 PM

My long haired and very fluffy Ragdoll does a great job of grooming himself, except in his armpits and at the bottom of his chest. We've tried all kinds of brushes and he just won't let us brush those areas enough to avoid matting, and so he now, predictably, has matts. Any recommendations for quiet, small/manuverable clippers to both clip out the matts and keep his chest and armpits cut a little shorter?

We really have tried every brush I can think of, but he simply sits down so you can't get to the matted bits, and wiggles free if restrained. Because of the location of the matts, he can't be burrito-ed for grooming them. If anyone has secret other tricks or products, I would happily try!

(no cat tax as I'm afraid I don't have an online picture of him)

posted by In Your Shell Like to Pets & Animals (11 answers total)

Best answer: I've used these (Amazon link) and they're great. Quiet and small enough to get into tight spaces.
posted by cozenedindigo at 5:18 PM on June 24

Would blunt-nosed scissors work? I have used pet nail clippers that I already owned to trim small areas of fur for hygienic reasons. It is not a fast process but it is safe and got the job done.
posted by janepanic at 7:04 PM on June 24

Best answer: I recently read a tip to use a letter opener for matted fur (the plastic grooved kind with a small blade at the center [Amazon link]). It's been a game changer for our fluffy cat -- cheap, quick, safe, and silent!
posted by mefireader at 9:33 PM on June 24 [2 favorites]

My ragdoll would flop and struggle when I tried to de-mat him, but behaved beautifully at the groomers. Maybe try a professional and see how he does with them? They'll either have some tips for how to deal with his resistance or he's going to act like being clipped is a totally normal thing and he doesn't know why you're being so dramatic about it. Cats are gonna cat, as they say.
posted by ananci at 7:15 AM on June 25

Response by poster: Unfortunately here in the UK cat groomers are not really a thing - or at least not near me! I have tried scissors too, but as his skin is quite loose on his chest, I am very worried about catching it and cutting him.
posted by In Your Shell Like at 8:01 AM on June 25

Maybe you could sneak up on him while he's sleeping and try some scissors with a guard, like the Scaredy Cut? Full disclosure, I have only used this on the butt region of my fluffball, and it's still a bit tricky unless he's really zonked out. So I'm not sure it would work that well for armpits.
posted by slenderloris at 10:21 AM on June 25

Best answer: They aren't cheap, but the Wahl Bravmini is small and quiet and works really well. (It's what I use for my 25 lb dog to get between his toe pads.) The Wahl Mini Arco is another good option. These are clippers that often get recommended by professional (I spent lots of time lurking on r/doggroomers since I groom my own poodle mix.)

Do not under any circumstances use scissors to cut out mats. The matts pull the skin upwards, and cat skin is incredibly fragile and easy to cut.

Honestly, the best thing would be to see if any local groomers are willing to help out with this. Or honestly, you could probably take him into the vet and pay them to do it.
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:04 PM on June 25

And if you do decide to use grooming shears, you want blunt tip, good quality grooming shears, and you want to get a comb underneath the matting, and use the scissors to cut above the comb, so you make sure to avoid the fur. But really, I would not risk doing this with scissors.
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:05 PM on June 25

With the caveat that I only watch her YouTube channel, Girl With The Dogs sells a course about grooming matted cats.
posted by oceano at 7:01 PM on June 25

I would get his mats shaved at his next vet appointment.
posted by unicorn chaser at 3:04 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]

Scissors rather than clippers, but I use these to snip matts on my dog when they can't be brushed out. I'm careful close to the skin but I've never nicked or hurt her and they're less 'scary' than clippers.
posted by amerrydance at 3:49 AM on June 26