How to Groom a Matted Coat

Animals' coats become tangled and knotted if not cared for properly. The best way to prevent matting is frequent brushing to remove tangles and knots before they have a chance to grow. Matting can be painful for the animal as the knots pull the skin. Neglected matting that has grown too large to untangle has to be cut. If the matting is limited, there are methods to take a shot at untangling them.

Things You'll Need

  • Wide-toothed comb
  • Fine-toothed comb
  • De-tangling conditioner
  • Corn starch
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put of a pinch of corn starch on the matted hair and massage it in with your fingers.

    • 2

      Knead the matte apart using the fingers, gently picking it from the sides and not pulling up. Pulling on the matte will further irritate the skin and hurt the animal.

    • 3

      Use the wide-toothed comb when most of the tangles have been pulled apart. Add more corn starch if needed or switch to de-tangler if the matte is mostly untangled.

    • 4

      Cut any insistent mattes that you are unable to untangle using your fingers or the comb in half from the top and pick at it again from the sides.

    • 5

      Cut out any knots that will not untangle.

    • 6

      Comb the coat with the fine-toothed comb when all the mattes have been removed.