Answer: Daily combing and brushing also avoids matting of the coat in areas which it is difficult for the cat to reach; between the shoulder blades, behind the ears, and under the chin, legs and tail. Again this problem is especially likely to occur in long-haired breeds. If any mattes are discarded, it may be possible, if they are small, to tease them apart by pulling sideways on them with the index finger and thumb of both hands, and then to comb them out. It is best to cut off larger mattes, but be careful. Use blunt-ended scissor, not those with sharp points which can easily penetrate the skin. And it is best to work the teeth of the comb between the matt and the skin first and cut out over the top of the comb. Wherever you do, do not wet the coat to try to remove these tangles; this really makes them set as a solid mass. (so all mattes must be removed before a cats is bathed.) In a much neglected long-haired cat with extensive matting of the coat the only solution is for a veterinary surgeon to give a general anesthetic, and to comb and clip the mattes out with electric clippers.
Last, but not least, regular grooming of the cat allows you to discover signs of flea infestation and of other skin disorders like wounds, abscesses and painful areas which are often indicative of bites from the other.
