What Causes Pet Hair to Mat?

Matted pet hair happens for a few reasons, mostly revolving around poor grooming habits on the human's part. Matting that is not taken care of can actually lead to skin infections on pets, including both cats and dogs. It is important to tackle mats immediately and to prevent matting in the first place.

  1. Shedding

    • Brush dogs regularly to help prevent mats.

      Both dogs and cats shed, and the hair they lose can get matted up in the hair they keep. Brushing out the dog or cat each day, especially during shedding seasons, can help prevent matting. This also gives the human and animal an opportunity to bond.

    Lack of Grooming

    • Long-haired pets are more apt to matting.

      A lack of proper grooming, especially with long-haired breeds of dogs and cats, can lead to matting. All family pets should get proper grooming, even if it is done from home. Even though long-haired pets are more apt to matting, shorter haired pets can suffer problems too. Get the pet groomed often to keep its fur healthy and clean.

    Long Hair

    • Pets with long hair may need a trim to prevent matting or to remove mats.

      Long-haired pets need grooming even more that short haired pets, and matting is one of the main reasons for that. Long-haired pets' fur can get matted from day-to-day activities, like playing. If a pet has a problem with its long hair being matted often it may be wise to get its fur trimmed.

    Dirt

    • Keeping pets clean helps with matting issues.

      Excessive dirt and grime can also cause matting. This is another reason why grooming and bathing are important. For pets who spend a lot of time outdoors, regular bathing and brushing may be the only way to keep mats at bay and keep their coat and skin healthy. Conditioners can be used on pets that are highly prone to matting.