Fluffy Coats and How to Properly Care For Them

December 31, 2024

Nancy Kerr

Beautiful coats don’t happen overnight. They are the result of weeks and months of groom- ing and proper nutrition. And ANY cat can have a lovely coat! Pictured above is GH, HNW Gary Galavant, CFA’s Best Household Pet of 2017.

Who doesn’t love a fluffy cat?! You would love to have a fluffy cat but you are worried about the amount of work that would be required to look after all that hair. Furr-not! We have some tips from breeders and exhibitors to help your fluffy cat have a good fur day, every day.

When one mentions the phrase “fluffy cat,” one of the first breeds that comes to mind is the Persian with its flowing coat. If a shaggy coat is more your style, the Maine Coon Cat has a coat that is unique in that it grows in layers; you can readily see the visibly shaggy coat. For those that prefer more coat, there are the dense-coated Norwegian Forest Cat and Siberian.

However, shorthaired breeds can ALSO be fluffy. The British Shorthair’s coat is the densest of ALL breeds, with about 300 hairs per square inch. The Exotic (shorthair version of the Persian) has a short coat that is dense and plush. If you are into curls, another fluffy breed with a dense coat is the Selkirk Rex. It comes in both a long and a shorthair version. Its coat forms plush, unstructured curls all over the body.

So, what makes a fluffy cat breed different from shorthaired (non-fluffy) breeds? A cat breed might be considered fluffy if their hair is more than one inch long. Some fluffy cat breeds have even longer hair. Coats can come in variety of lengths such as the floor-length Persian and shaggy-coated Maine Coon Cat, to the shorter-coated Exotic and British Shorthair. Some breeds, such as the Norwegian Forest Cat, have double coats which consists of a longer outercoat and a shorter, denser undercoat, while the Siberian has as a semi-long to long triple coat.

No matter the length of the coat, fluffy cats will generally have hair issues, a.k.a. bad hair days. It is easier for dirt and debris to get stuck in their coats. If they lay too much on one side, the fur in that area can become matted. Changes in temperature and season may cause rapid shedding that can quickly form into mats and knots. With a few tips, tools and little bit of practice, you can keep your fluffy cat looking and feeling great.

Grooming

Using a wide-toothed metal comb such as the one shown here not only makes picking apart mats easier. It also removes dead hair without ripping out good hair. Most exibitors and professional groomers use combs instead of metal brushes.

If you should talk to an exhibitor at a cat show about grooming, the first suggestion they will make is that maintenance is the key to a good coat. Fluffy cats especially require regular grooming to help prevent mats, tangles, and hairballs, which can all be uncomfortable and may lead to health problems. Grooming can be a special bonding time between you and your cat. Some cats love to be groomed, but if your cat does not fall into this category try giving treats during the process. This may help to enforce grooming as a positive experience. Pay attention to areas where mats can form such as behind the ears, the armpits, the chest, and on and between the back legs. While grooming, periodically run a hand over the coat to make sure that you are not missing any mats, etc.

The amount of time for a grooming session will depend on the cat and their coat. The softer and more cottony a cat’s hair, the more maintenance is required as it is prone to getting tiny knots at end of the hair. For grooming, use a good quality smooth metal comb or brush specifically for pets. Persian and Exotic type coats will require daily grooming with a wide, metal comb, while the Maine Coon Cat type only requires brushing or combing a couple of times a week. When grooming a cat that has a dense, plush coat like the British Shorthair, you should brush your cat once or twice a week with a metal-tooth comb or rubber brush.

Shedding

Fluffy cats shed the same number of hairs as short-hair cats, however how they shed is different. When shorthair cats shed, you will notice the individual short hairs on everything in your home. When fluffy cats shed, it is in clumps that resemble furry tumbleweeds rather that individual hairs. You will notice an increased production of these tumbleweeds during the spring when cats start to lose their winter coats. Extra grooming sessions during this time will help to reduce the buildup this of dead hair which can cause mats.

Out, Out, Damned Mat!

This poor cat’s coat is matted and full of dead hair and needs to be groomed. If left ungroomed, the coat may even need to be shaved off for the cat’s well-being.

No matter how often or well you groom your cat, mats can still happen. To remove the mats, work at them with a large toothed metal comb and gently pull them apart. If you have larger mats, gently pull them apart into smaller knots using your fingers. Then use the comb to gently work them out from outside of the mat. If you do not have any grooming powder, a bit of cornstarch or regular baby powder on the mat may help with removal. You need to make sure that you don’t pull the hair out. Doing this will cause a bald spot and in some cases if there is significant damage to the hair follicles, the hair may not grow back. It may take between three to six months for the hair to fully grow back. Do not try to cut the mat. If the mat is not coming apart, use scissors to lightly trim the end of mat furthest away from the skin. This may help to loosen the mat and make combing easier.

Wash and Wear

While cat show exhibitors bathe cats weekly (and more!) for competition, you probably will not need to. If you do need to bathe your cat, trim all the nails and be sure the coat is free of mats before starting the bath. Ideally, bathing should take place in large sink or bathtub that has a hose. Get in touch with your breeder who should be able to help you select the right products. Otherwise, begin with a good quality shampoo and conditioner made for cats.

Yes, cats can be bathed! When done frequently and correctly, cats become accustomed to it and tolerate it well. Most longhaired cats will require bathing to keep their coats clean and soil-free.

Be sure to dilute the shampoo in a large cup of water so that it will disperse evenly over the body. A common ratio is a mixture of ½ water and ½ shampoo. When removing the products from the coat remember to rinse until you have everything out of the coat, then rinse some more. Dilute a bit of conditioner in a large container of water, then pour that mixture over the body. You can never over rinse; there should be no suds and the coat should not feel slippery. Product left in the coat can lead to sticky, matted fur. Use towels to remove as much moisture as possible from the coat. Pet drying towels can be purchased from Amazon and pet stores. If you do not have a dryer specifically for pets, you can use a human one that has multiple heat settings.

If you bathe a cat with a British Shorthair type of coat, blow drying is the best way to ensure that your cat’s coat dries quickly and evenly. If you bathe a cat with a long Maine Coon Cat coat type, wrap them up in a in thick towels to soak up the excess water, and then blow dry or let the coat air dry. If you bathe a cat with a Persian or Exotic coat type, squeeze the excess water from the coat, pat the coat dry with a towel, dry the cat’s face with a towel, and then dry the cat with a dryer using a metal comb, pin brush or slicker brush to separate the hair. If letting a cat air dry, keep them in a warm area until dry. A long-coated cat will always look better if blown dry after towel-drying.

Crap Happens

If your cat has fresh poop stuck on its coat, gently remove it with toilet paper or a paper towel. Sprinkle any left-over poop with baby powder (for the smell), let dry, then comb (or you can lightly brush the poop and powder out with a slicker brush). Use your fingers to break hardened dry stool into smaller pieces before combing out of the coat. Rinse off diarrhea or large clumps of poop, while using your fingers to break down and remove as much poop as possible. Then shampoo the area as normal.

The Food Connection

It is important to make sure that you feed your cat a good quality food. If your diet consists of food that is not good for you, you may gain weight and have hair and\or skin issues. The same is true for your cat; a poor diet will be reflected in your cat’s coat, skin and body condition. Read product labels and make sure that you select a good quality dry and wet cat food. Your cats’ stool should resemble a glistening tootsie roll. If the diet is not quite right, it may get stuck on the cat’s fur, which could mean additional grooming and bath time.

Anyone can groom their cat with relative ease. Regularly scheduled grooming sessions are key to keeping your fluffy cat looking and feeling good.

Nancy Kerr

Nancy Kerr has been involved with CFA since 1999, working with Norwegian Forest Cats since 2005, and contributing writer and copy editor for Cat Talk since 2019. For her Cat Talk articles, she has won multiple Certificates of Excellence awards and a Muse award in the annual Cat Writers’ Association contest. When she is not writing or hanging out with her Wegies, she works as a university network administrator.