Do Ragdoll Cats Get Matted?
Information from Ragdoll breeders and other online sources often claim that Ragdoll cats have non-matting fur, which is generally true, but they can indeed get mats, especially without regular grooming. Brushing your cat on a regular basis is the easiest way to prevent mats from forming, but there are some other tricks for preventing and treating mats as well if your kitty is mat-prone:
- Different grooming tools – Some cats might be resistant to one type of brush, but actually enjoy a different tool. Try experimenting with different combs, rakes, and even dog brushes until you find one your cat will stick around for. Here’s a post that talks about cat brushes and combs we have reviewed.
- Diet – A cat’s diet affects the condition of their fur. For example, dry cat food has been linked to matted fur problems. Try adding more oil to their diet to keep their fur silky – for example fish oil capsules or even a small amount of coconut oil.
- Natural mat loosening – Before busting out the scissors and potentially cutting your cat’s skin, try loosening the mat with one of these natural options: coconut oil, baby powder, a humidifier, or a good quality pet shampoo and conditioner.
- Cutting out mats – If you need to cut out a mat, try a few of these different tools: nail clippers, an electric mustache trimmer, a seam ripper, or a FURminator.
- Visiting a groomer – If your home grooming routine isn’t enough or your cat is too skittish for you to groom on your own, try visiting a professional groomer every so often, and ask for tips for fur upkeep between groomings.
Ragdolls can mat, but regular grooming and some mat removal techniques can keep those mats at bay.
How do you prevent cat mats? How do you treat mats when your cat gets them? What kind of brushes or alternative grooming tips would you recommend? Any good advice from a groomer? Share below!
Read our post about Cat Matted Fur: Tips and Tricks to Remove Cat Mats
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
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Hi Jenny,
Thank you for creating this Website. Our Ragdoll Loki gets mats. I am going to try fish oil and see if that helps. He is very particular what he eats; only Hills dry food and an occasional lick of Friskies Classic Pate Salmon or White Fish when he gets his cut (2 teaspoons) of the outside feral cat’s breakfast and dinner. The Ragdoll in your main photo is Gorgeous. I never knew they came in that color. My aunt is looking for an unusual colored Ragdoll, so I sent her your site.
We have a rag doll cat , that belonged to my sister in law, and when she passed away we promised her we would take care of Hermie. He is a loving cat, but has some issues. He has to eat Royal Cain cat food for digistive issues- and so reading about the dry food being an issue, though about some can food which he nibbles- actually he is a nibbler. He must have had some issues as a kitten before my sister in law took him in, just before his first birthday- for he is a fighter when it comes to combing or brushing him. He has knots and he had knots when Joan had him and she had him shaved that was how bad he was. He also had some teeth surgery- he had to many- my concern is getting the knots off of him- I brush him and sometimes he will let me but if he is not feeling well- I have to wear gloves he gets so mean- any help on the best brush to use and ideas on getting rid of the knots- I really do not want to have him shaved again, he was traumatized with that and tooth extraction. Thanks for any replies.
You might check out our page here for tips on how to remove mats – Cat Matted Fur: Tips and Tricks to Remove Cat Mats
My Charlie has had no mats yet, but I am not able to easily comb him. I can only get his back as I give him dry food to eat the whole time I’m combing him. I cannot get his stomach area at all. If I tried, I would get severely bitten and scratched. Any suggestion on grooming a cat that does not want to be groomed would be appreciated.
Great topic, Jenny! Pawesome post! We are very fortunate with Miss PSB. She’s has never had an actual matting problem. I brush her every few months with the Shed Monster tool I have (mostly for her saddle area and tail). I brush her weekly with the awesome 7-tooth thingy (that’s in the first pic of this post and that I affectionately refer to as “The Claw”) that Auntie Teresa sent her last year. Works so great! I have a fine tooth flea comb that I use for tiny areas of her gigantic ruff that stick together occasionally (but not bad enough to call that a matting issue). I will definitely add that Safari Comb to my Amazon Wish List! 🙂 <3
Big hugs & lots of love!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
Oh! Now you have my interest peaked with that Safari brush! Will have to try it even though we already have about 4 different bushes that work really well. None of my girls mat so far. Its a good thing with Moody Miss Mari, because she is so grouchy, she wouldnt allow a brush to break up a knot and it would really be a huge problem. We brush them all regularly though and intensely when it is shedding season twice a year. I did have a silver Persian when I was 13 whose fur would mat up next to her skin no matter what I did. It was so sad and so much trauma for her and me. Swore I would never get another silver Persian because of that. ♥️
The Safari comb is a great quick comb for their mane. I use it often on their manes. Today Chiggy was biting and pulling at his leg, so I went to feel and there was a tiny mat there. I went and got the Safari comb and mat gone!
I must have hit the jackpot with my two Ragdolls, who have never had a mat! Yes, they eat great food and I brush them fairly often ( more often this time of year when they are shedding their winter coat), but when I say they have never had a mat, I am not kidding! I was of the thinking that Ragdolls truly do not get mats until I started reading online about how many of them do get mats.
My favorite comb is the Safari Cat Shedding comb with the different sized teeth and wooden handle. I keep them in a few rooms throughout the house so that I always have one handy if the situation for a grooming session arises unexpectedly. I start out with soft long strokes. Then I go a bit deeper and move on to the underarms and pantaloons and tail.
They don’t seem to mind, well … one minds more than the other but I softly explain that since they are Ragdolls, they have to be brushed 🙂
I also love that Safari Comb, I used it on Trigg today!
Thanks for sharing!
i agree that food is the most important thing when thinking about matts. my fluffer nutter sued to get matts a lot until i changed his food. he rarely gets them now other than a bit when summer comes and he shedding and then i just brush him more. another thing that i found works really well for bad matts is a cuticle cutter. not the scissor but the little tool that looks almost like a wood carving tool. it has a v at the end .. you can get in the matt and really separate it and make it much easier to deal with.