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Furballs

sinecurea

Well-known member
Hi Folks,
Ruby has two rather large balls off fur, perhaps better described as wool, under her ears.
There are a few others collections of wool in her coat, which I'll be able to tend to - but is it ok to cut out the wool under her ears?
I presume this is normal for KCS and that I'm just not grooming her often enough?

Cheers,
S.

Ruby: http://www.stephenlynn.co.uk/ruby/
 
It is fine to cut them out, you can try and work them out first ? but if they are really matted and dreadlock like its probably easier for all concerned to cut them, obviously be really carefull of the skin and cut as far away from it as poss, you may even need to cut in stages and ease it out ?
I brush this part of the boys every day as it is really prone to matting. Good luck. If you can use 2 people one to hold and distract and one to cut or comb ;)
 
I had the same problem with Chester the other day. Was sitting having a cuddle & thought he had a lump under his ear. Scared the life out of me & then I realised it was a matt of fur. When I inspected further he had the start of one on the other side.

I tried to work them out but couldnt so in the end I cut them out. I have a really good pair of scissors with round ends for extra safety.

Trouble is, now I am obsessed with him not getting any more!
 
yep!!!! scared me witless too. couldnt find the centre at first as i didnt want to squeeze and hurt jadan but then i realised that no matter how hard i squeezed he wasnt bothered so i started digging deeper and came out the other side of a big fat knott!!! managed to cut most of it out and then brushed the rest. :)
 
Hi!

Yes cutting them out is fine, but be very careful that you don't cut into the ear leather itself underneath! It might help to spray the knots with a little conditioner spray first to help ease them out too!
 
I learned here that cutting under ear matts out can cause that hair to continue matting as it grows in... something about the hair being the same length lends to matting? So, here's what I do now if a wooly matt appears under ears;

I insert the scissor through the matt as close to the skin as possible, and cut longways down the matt so it is divided in two, if you will. Then I try to work those out the same way.. lengthwise, by cutting those matts the same way. Lots of times hunks of the matts will come away very easily doing this.

As the hair is now different lengths it grows in without matting so easily. I really try to run a comb under their ears every other day to avoid those woolly matts because they are truly buggers to get out!
 
Oh! So Molly's not the only one to get mats in that spot!? I too thought it was some sort of lump! I keep telling myself that I have to brush out... But now after reading this, I'm going straight home to do it!!

-laura
 
Hmm, no you could pretty much make a jumper out of these, so I'm going to have to just go for the scissors :)

Cheers All.
S.
 
you can put a comb between the skin & the matt to protect the skin from the scissors.

I was given a really old pair of manual clippers/shears ( from the 40's or earlier & they still work) that I use for matts in difficult places.
I have seen new ones for sale in france but I didn't know the appropriate sizes to buy any
 
I must admitt if you do cut them out,when the hair starts to grow ,it seems to knott agian.Alfie had a big one in his knickers,i am afraid we had to cut that one out.He seems to get major knots after coming back from the beach,the salty sea water does major knotting.
 
I adore the product "Ice on Ice" by Kris Kristerson, it contains silicone and helps to ease knots out quite easily, a friend of mine had a cat come in through rescue who was horribly matted she soaked the matts with Ice on Ice and left it to soak in for a couple of hours, she told me she was able to mostly gently pull the matts apart and tease them out, that cat lost hardly any coat at all, it is great stuff

I like to use it on area's prone to matting as a preventative, also sprayed onto the feathering on boys front legs daily it can help reduce urine staining too, and that's yet another of my secrets up in smoke! :lol: ;)
 
I would only cut as an absolute last resort. Most matts can be brushed out with patience. Get a pin brush or a slicker brush & just start working at the edge of the matt and then work upwards. Even if you have to do this over a couple of sessions, I think it is better than cutting.

I brush Sonny & Beau twice daily on the days that I do not work, and once daily on the days I go to work. If you do it regularly it only takes a minute or two and you probably will never get mats in their coats again. Hubby & I each have a slicker brush sitting on our side tables in the lounge room and when the dogs jump up onto our laps for a snuggle we go to work with our little brushes. (y)
 
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