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Long-Haired Cats

Coat care for long-haired cats

A long coat is beautiful. It also needs a comb every day.

Veterinary guidance is plain: long-haired cats need grooming at least daily, mats come out with patience or a professional, never scissors, and most healthy cats never need a bath. Here is how to keep a Persian, Ragdoll or any long coat soft and tangle-free.

Start with the routineHelp with a mat

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A long-haired silver and white cat with blue eyes resting on a bed
  • Comb daily
  • Mats: no scissors
  • Baths: rarely

Find your answer

Grooming, mats, shedding, breeds and gifts

Start with the problem in front of you: a tangle behind the ears, hair on every cushion, or a Persian that needs a routine.

A fluffy calico cat being brushed on a sofaGrooming
A long-haired tabby cat lying on a plaid blanket while its coat is combedMats
A long-haired calico cat lying on a dark cushionShedding
A white Persian cat with a full coat lying outdoorsBreeds
A Ragdoll cat with blue eyes lounging on a bedGifts

The routine

What a long coat needs, in four steps

  1. Step

    Comb every day

    Long coats need grooming at least daily, in short sessions the cat is comfortable with.

    The daily routine

  2. Step

    Catch mats early

    Check the armpits, the groin and behind the ears, where tangles start, and never cut a mat with scissors.

    What to do about mats

  3. Step

    Plan for shedding season

    Hairballs are more frequent in the seasons when cats shed, so comb more often then.

    Shedding seasons

  4. Step

    Keep the house livable

    Hair you comb out never reaches the couch. Washable covers and a good lint roller handle the rest.

    Cat hair at home

Which coat does your cat have?

Breed registries describe three broad kinds of long coat, and each needs a different amount of combing.

  • Full, thick coat

    Persian and Himalayan. A long, thick coat that stands off the body. The CFA calls for a steel comb with coarse and fine teeth and a serious grooming commitment.

    Source: CFA, Persian · Persian cat grooming

  • Silky coat, little undercoat

    Ragdoll, Birman, Turkish Angora. Soft, silky fur that the CFA describes as resisting mats. A comb-through once or twice a week suits most of these coats.

    Source: CFA, Ragdoll and Birman · Ragdoll grooming

  • Dense double or triple coat

    Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian. A woolly undercoat under longer guard hairs, fuller in winter. Comb more often in spring, when the winter coat comes out.

    Source: CFA, Norwegian Forest Cat and Siberian · Shedding seasons

Mats

When a mat is a job for a groomer or the vet

A groomer holding clippers beside a long-haired orange cat on a grooming table

Small tangles can be teased apart with your fingers, working from the root toward the tip. Mats that sit tight against the skin are different: the skin pulls up into the mat, so scissors can cut the cat.

Severe mats are usually clipped off by a groomer or the veterinary team, often with sedation, since few cats tolerate clippers for long.

How to tell which mats you can handle

Tools

The two tools a long coat needs first

A metal comb with wide and fine teeth that reaches the skin, and a slicker brush for finishing the topcoat.

Steel combs for long coats

Shop steel combs for long coats

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Slicker brushes

Shop slicker brushes

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Breeds

How much combing each long-haired breed needs

Coat notes as the Cat Fanciers' Association describes each breed. A Persian needs far more than a Birman.

Living with a long coat

Hair on the couch, the bed and your clothes

A fluffy white long-haired cat lying on a dark sofa

Every cat sheds a little all year, and indoor cats shed through every season. A long coat simply leaves more of it behind.

Combing catches loose hair before it lands. For the rest, a washable throw on the cat's favorite spot, a reusable lint roller and a dryer cycle before the wash do most of the work.

Fabrics, covers and tools for cat hair

Common questions

Hairballs, lion cut and nail trims

A long-haired cat grooming itself on a rockHairballs in long-haired catsWhy long coats raise the risk, what helps, and the signs that need a vet.
An orange cat with a lion cut, its body clipped short and its head left fluffyLion cut for long-haired catsWhat the cut is, which cats it helps and who should do it.
Two fluffy white cat paws with tufts of fur between the toesHow to trim cat nails under long furHow to find the nail in a fluffy paw and trim only the tip.

Gifts for someone with a long-haired cat

For holidays, birthdays or a new cat's first week home, by person:

  • The new owner: a steel comb, a slicker brush and a dematting comb.
  • The tidy-home person: a reusable lint roller or a washable couch cover.
  • The breed devotee: a Persian or Ragdoll ornament, mug or print.

See every gift idea

Guides

Questions owners of long-haired cats ask

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