Baby Oil
★★★★★
(Gulf Coast, Mississippi)
03/23/2018
(California)
08/11/2018
(Columbus, Oh)
08/14/2018
Baby Oil
★☆☆☆☆
(Phoenix)
12/31/2017
I use thinning shears to thin out/shorten the hair in areas prone to mats. You still need to be careful not to cut the kitty, but you don't necessarily have to cut down to the root of the fur. Once thinned out, then you can brush out the remainder of the mat. It leaves the fur looking a bit more natural than shaving or cutting with scissors.
Baby Oil
★★★★★
(USA)
10/13/2008
(Sackville, Ns, Canada)
03/17/2010
I am also wondering, if baby oil is scented mineral oil, why we wouldn't be using the mineral oil instead. it's "more natural" and i would think safer. my cat is 20, and as other ppl mentioned with their older cats, that they aren't as flexible to clean themselves. her fur sheds downward and then balls, so she has a sadlebag that has now moved toward her stomache, one on her leg, the weight alone making it hard to walk, and a huge lump we noticed today under her tail which will interfere with her toliet duties eventually. when she was a kitten we had to have her behind shaved. usually the fur would fall off in the spring in sheets. (probably because she was able to groom). am sending the dh to the drugstore 2morrow, i will probably try the mineral oil first. if it doesn't work, i'll try the baby oil. if your cat is able to groom, i would do what someone suggested and get a cone..better safe than sorry.
(Never Never Land, Universe)
08/24/2010
★★★★★
Yes, Mineral oil DOES WORK! I was desperate because my baby had a really ugly mat right near the base of his tail. (He cried if I even touched it... But fortunately tolerated the mineral oil application)
Had to apply mineral oil twice - but it does seem like it just 'fell off' - amazing!!! TIP: one good way to apply: I used a latex glove - poured the oil onto the finger of my gloved hand - applied to entire mat (above and underneath) - SEVERAL applications at once to thoroughly saturate... Waited a day, and the evening of day 3 (last night actually, re-saturated)
- an hour ago he came prancing in, with his old 'bounce in his step' and the mat was GONE! Found it on my bed, actually. :) SO HAPPY!!!
(Miami, US)
05/09/2014
Thanks for the baby oil advice! I rubbed a generous amount on each of my older (and fat) cat's back where I couldn't comb the mats out ( well - I could if I wanted lots of cat scratches on my hands) . Anyway - I watched her for a couple of days to see if she would bite or clean the oil and mats off ( as someone thought might be happening) but I never saw her once trying to groom her back ( which would be sort of impossible for her anyway)-- but what I did notice was little clumps of the hard fur here and there around the house. I just looked at her fur and it's perfect again! I did trim the clumps first - being very careful to not cut close to her skin. Now I have to figure how to wash the baby oil out without getting scratched to death!!! :)
(Los Angeles, California)
09/28/2015
My cat is on old and chubby pre owned cat. He is about 8 years old and suddenly has these huge matted knots by his back side.
He has long hair and will not let me comb or brush him since these mats appeared. Any suggestion on how to apply the oil?
(Southern Az)
09/28/2015
One of my kitties has the type of long hair that mats easily (also a senior gal). I brush her at least once a day, but occasionally the mats form in spite of that. I prefer coconut oil to mineral oil as it is not harsh on the digestive system, tastes good, and works like a charm to soften the base of the mat. I just put it on my fingertips and massage it into the mat. The next day the mat combs right out without being painful. And coconut oil can actually be beneficial to the overall health of your cat. The best to you both.
(Hope, Bc Canada)
09/28/2015
Jena (Los Angeles, California) ---
Mineral oil is a petrochemical product that has no business in bodies. Just recently I read of adverse effects of this oil on GreenMedInfo. For my cats I use coarse ground grains of coconut oil.
Always read up on things before you use them.
All the best .. and leave it on over night and check in the morning. Namaste, Om
(Hope, Bc Canada)
09/29/2015
(Concord, Ca)
11/15/2015
★★★★★
YEA on the oil part, but used olive oil instead of baby oil, since it tastes better when my cat licks it and probably better for her anyway.
My successful method:
Put a small amount in a shot glass and pour it over a small area on cat, then use Q-tip to massage it in between the clumps and on the skin where possible. Within 24 hours the clumps were gone, between the oil and her licking the oiled area. After a few days she'd lick off most of the oil. By doing a small section at a time, your whole cat doesn't need to be soaked in oil, and can work on a section at a time. Worked for mine! Good Luck! Also, my vet said either olive or coconut oil would be fine.
(Vancouver, British Columbia)
08/20/2016
Hi Diane: Isn't technology today a miracle.
I just read your letter re: baby oil to remove your cats fur lumps. Have been caring for a badly neglected Main Coon cat for 3 wks. & have been trying everything to help him get rid of these big fur lumps he is carrying around (10 yrs. old). Have been applying baby oil for past 3 days (1 lrg. lump at a time)slowly trying to get his trust and feel comfortable with me. Did you find a solution to get the oil off the rest of his hair...it is a mess. Any info. would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,
Kit
(Sydney, Australia)
08/20/2016
(Central Ny)
03/11/2017
Had to chime in here when I again saw a cone mentioned. Maybe that IS the way to go, I really don`t know, but, cats with long fur and matted fur problems could possibly benefit from licking the oil. They may have fur clumps in their intestines that could be helped moved thru their body. In this area it is recommended by a groomer to occasionally give your cat Vaseline to lick off Ur finger to clear fur balls in their system. My cat is 19 and I am so very grateful for this column and all your comments. Started w/the Baby Oil already. I had no idea just what a terrible mess she is as extremely skiddish. BTW I not only think this was caused by her aging and less eager to groom, but, that new canned cat food WITH GRAVY! Unfortunately, she loves it. Grooms herself right after eating and think the gravy dries on her. She hates being brushed (just her face and head - bath is def out! ).
(New Zealand)
04/21/2017
Baby Oil
★★★★★
(Nj)
02/13/2016
(Illinois)
03/11/2016
(New Zealand)
04/14/2017
No Xanax not the best. Put in cage and get vet to sedate and sort. Please never ever cut unless you get a fine tooth comb near skin and then hair at end however you need to be soo careful as many times you could end up cutting your precious fur baby and will end up paying heaps to get them stitched.Their pain and your finances will suffer. Good luck
(New Zealand)
04/21/2017
Lather lather coconut oil to base and the whole Matt. Never ever cut unless you have fine tooth comb and then cut on top but even then you have to be super super careful. If you slip could end up cutting the cats skin terribly. Just keep the oil up and then when oil makes a mess in other places then just flannel of with just pure water never soap as toxic. Good luck.
Baby Oil
★★★★★
Baby Oil
★★★★★
Baby Oil
★★★★★
Baby Oil
★★★★★
Baby Powder and Conditioner
★★★★★
Butter
★★★★★
Then I got the bright idea after trimming Matt as much as possible, to just moisten mt fingers with a little soft butter....voila...the matts disappeared within one day! ( and I think less messy than any oils, plus the kitty must've enjoyed his buttery job, licking his fur! ). Good luck to everyone who tries BUTTER, I think it's the perfect solution to Matt removal.....that no groomer would ever tell yu about!
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
(Queens, Ny)
09/15/2017
My cat is only 5yrs old. His fur is a little longer than the average breed. He had 1 matted clump on his back right before his tail. A spot he can't easily clean. SO I combed him and was astounded by how much fur just kept coming. Anyway..2 days later he now has 4 clumps of matted fur. I really can't bring him to a groomer. SO I'm gonna try cutting maybe 1/2 inch on the tips and work some coconut oil in it. Wondering after should I try combing the fur again...helping to pull it away with the coconut oil...or just leave it and see what happens in the next few days. I worry that these clumps may irritate his skin therefore causing infection.
(Mpls., Mn)
09/15/2017
Hey Sandie,
You might have better luck cutting the clump in vertical sections rather than horizontal cuts. Cutting in vertical sections allows you to work the mat out and still leave long hair behind. Trimming 1/2 inch off all the tips of the hair, or laying the scissors on its side and cutting the mat out at the roots of the hair will leave obvious bald spots. And you don't need to send your cat to a groomer. You can just commit yourself to combing your cat's coat in 6 inch by 6 inch sections each day - just 10 minutes of coming each day, and section by section you will have the entire cat combed out in short order. To ensure you get all the loose hair out so it does not stay around and cause further matting, comb it out and make sure all tangles are out, and then change direction and back comb - you may have to do this in one inch sections for the back combing. If you comb forward, and then back comb, you will get all the loose and shed under coat out, and your kitty will feel much better.
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
(Texas)
10/09/2016
For those not in the know, coconut oil is very, very bad for the environment. It reduces jungle habitat because of the frantic cutting down of coconut trees -Borneo for example. It has put the orangutan on the endangered list. For those concerned about planet health, coconut oil is used profusely and without thought for the plight of the wildlife that is endangered from habitat loss and poaching.
(Usa)
12/11/2016
No. It is not coconut oil that is the problem, it is palm oil. Coconuts grow in tropical climates that are frost free, such as those in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific region. In the United States, coconuts grow in Hawaii and the southern tip of Florida.
Today, palm oil is grown throughout Africa, Asia, North America, and South America, with 85% of all palm oil globally produced and exported from Indonesia and Malaysia; but most of the time not using sustainable measures.
(Alexandria, Va)
07/01/2017
(Alexandria, Va)
07/01/2017
Regarding the coconut oil & water spray mixture for kittys matted coat....Do I melt the coconut oil before mixing with the water in the spray bottle? My coconut oil is still at the white semi solid stage in a jar.
Also are these being used for large matts? Poor kitty Main Coon/Siberian hybrid has matts on rear, by butt, and on lower belly from "splash back" from clumping litter combined with multilayer shedding. We've trimmed him some with scissors and 1 short short shaving session but there's still some to go. So before Shaving Round 2 Id like to rid as many as possible tq minimize the shaving necessary.
Thanks☺
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
Cornstarch
★★★★★
