Matted fur is a condition that occurs mostly in longhaired cats when their fur becomes knotted and entangled. There are several reasons this can happen. When a cat sheds their undercoat, the fur can become caught in the top coat. If a cat’s fur becomes dirty or oily, it can also become entwined and matted.

Most people think cats can take care of themselves—and they’d actually prefer it that way—but even the most fastidious feline groomers could use a helping hand.

If you’ve ever seen your cat gagging and eventually cough up a hairball, then you know the situation. You know they’re no fun to clean up, and worse, they can cause health problems for your cat. What you might not know is what causes hairballs, what symptoms to look for and what you can do to prevent them.

Cats are typically fastidious groomers and therefore ingest a significant amount of hair. Hair is undigestible and usually sits in the stomach until enough hair is accumulated to produce a signal that induces vomiting. Even though people often say their cat is “coughing up a hairball,” this is not the correct terminology. The hair is coming from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, not the respiratory tract (lungs).