Vet Notes : cats
Should You Shave Your Pet Cat?
I recently had a friend of mine ask if she could have her pet cat shaved. Her cat is an indoor cat, long haired and is suffering a bit from benign neglect because of the addition of twin boys to the family. The regular brushing that was once occurring has been missing for some time. Now that the babies are a bit older and my friend has time to devote to brushing her cat, the hair is extremely matted.
At this point, there is probably no other alternative to removing the mats and shaving the hair. It is difficult to remove mats that are close to the skin without cutting the skin. This is why a veterinarian or professional groomer should be involved. With cats, the shaving is often traumatic because of the noise of the clippers. Having your cat sedated might be the best option. Sedation should only be administered by a veterinarian and your cat should be closely supervised while the shaving is being done.
Regular brushing is the best method for preventing this problem in a long-haired cat. However, if regular brushing is not possible, shaving the hair is an excellent idea. Cats that are groomed regularly will often become accustomed to it and will be just fine without any sedation.
Dr. Melissa Brookshire
Veterinarian
