Instructions
Remove hair mats and tangles by hand. Start at the skin line and slowly and gently work to loosen and release the knot from the skin. Gently separate the hairs in mats and tangles a few at a time to avoid pinching and hurting the cat.
Lay back the silky top layer of the cat's fur. After removing tangles, separate the topcoat from the shedding undercoat.
Pull the skin taut with one hand and use the other hand to grasp a tuft of undercoat between your fingers.
Pull the undercoat out with care. Swiftly and sharply pull the fur straight away from the cat's body in the direction the hair grows. Dead undercoat should pull out quite easily. If you feel any resistance at all, release the fur. If the hair doesn't easily pull out, you have a hold of topcoat hairs. Topcoat hairs will not release and you will hurt the cat if you try to pull them.
Remove the undercoat slowly until you have covered the entire body. A cat will be extremely sensitive to hair on its belly, tail, under its legs and around its ears, so go slowly and even more gently in these areas.
How Do I Hand Strip a Cat?
Cats are good at self-grooming, but many longhaired breeds such as Persians, Maine Coons and Himalayans can shed excessively. If the dead undercoat is not removed, it can become matted and tangled. Brushing a cat to remove the dead coat is usually all that is necessary. However, some cats resist brushing. If your cat is resistant to brushing, it's possible to remove its undercoat with a hand-stripping technique.