Tangled Hair - 3 Tips to Try at Home

Tangled hair if not addressed can cause healthcan tell where your pet's skin is located, move on
issues for your pet including skin rashes, pain andto the step below.
discomfort, pet order and it can attract bugs2. If you are right handed, hold your left hand flat
which can lead to complicated health issues. Evenon your pet. Place the tangle between your index
short haired cats may get tangled hair during aand middle finger on the left hand. With your right
weather change due to shedding. As a tangle ishand cut above your index and middle finger and
formed, the skin may actually be pulled towardremove as much of the tangle as you can.
the tangle. This can be painful for your pet and itUsually, once you cut a tangle to within ½
is why you need to be careful when trying toand inch from the skin, you can brush out the
remove a hair clump or tangled hair. It's best torest with gentle strokes and a flexible wire brush.
avoid tangles and hair clumps by brushing your cat3. If all else fails, you can place one side of the
on a regular basis. As spring and fall approachscissors against your pets skin and cut away
increase the frequency of your brushing. As soonfrom the pets skin (away from the pets body)
as you notice a small tangle forming, address it asand through the tangle. You follow the natural
quick as possible.growth of hair. It's as if you were cutting air
If you have a tangle that needs to be removedbetween two hairs on your pet. Do not cut
with scissors, there are a couple of things youacross the body because you may cut the skin.
can do before you go to a professional groom orMake several cuts through the tangle. Eventually,
veterinarian:you'll have several smaller tangles. After that very
1. If the tangle is small you may be able to get itgentle try to brush out the tangles with a wire
out by using a small amount of hair conditioner.brush.
Rub the hair conditioner in your fingers and strokeIf these steps don't work, please have your pet
it into the tangle. Take a flexible wire brush andgroomed by a professional. If you use hair
start slowly trying to comb through the tangle atconditioner or any product not designed to stay
the far edges (not next to the skin). Make severalon a pet's hair, you must rinse it out so that the
small passes and see if any hair comes out nowpet will not ingest it while grooming itself. During
that there is conditioner in the hair. As the knotthe spring and fall take a few minutes every day
loosens get closer to the skin, but never pull hardto pet or brush your cat on its neck, belly and
on your pet's skin. When the tangle is removed,back legs (inside and out). This will quickly help you
take a warm wash cloth and remove theidentify any new tangles that need to be
conditioner so your pet will not ingest it whileremoved before they become problematic.
grooming itself. If this does not work, and you