Nana's Louisiana Persians

The Persian cat's glorious coat has lured many a cat-lover into the Persian's lifelong service. But the coat is a demanding taskmaster. Neglect it for a few days and the miracle of matchless grace has turned into a glaring mass of knots. The dedicated Persian owner must be willing to keep an ever vigilant eye (and comb) to keep a Persian as smooth as silk, and as soft as cotton. It's well worth the effort.

Brushing 101
The glorious Persian's coat is “unnatural” in that it doesn't appear in truly wild cats. It's beautiful, but impossible to maintain even for the self-grooming, fastidious cat. Your help is required. Groom your Persian every day if you can. If that's not possible you may be able to get by on every other day, but you do risk mats forming, which isn't only unsightly, but dangerous, since the skin beneath can become infected.
Begin grooming your Persian while it's still a kitten, just to get it accustomed to the idea. Some breeders start when the tiny kittens are only 3 weeks old! If your kitten has been handled kindly from such as early age, it should be quite tractable (for a cat) when it comes to grooming time. A very thorough brushing session should take about 15 minutes. This is also a good time to look for cuts, abrasions, sores or even the dreaded flea.

A metal comb may look like a simple grooming implement, but it's really closer akin to a magic wand; a few deft strokes daily is your cat's protection against snarls, mats, tangles and knots. Begin with the wide-toothed comb (10 teeth per inch) to help loosen any large snarls, then proceed to the fine-toothed comb  (20 teeth per inch) for the smaller snarls and the face. (Stay away from nylon combs. They generate static electricity. Don't ignore the hair under the armpits and behind the ears. The hair here is finer than in other areas, and more prone to tangles or mats. The rump and back of the legs are also mat-prone areas. And don't forget the belly!

When you discover a knot, just tease it apart. Don't pull on the knot — you'll only hurt the cat and leave an ugly, raw, bare patch of skin. If necessary, you can use a dematting tool.

Dematting tools come is a variety of different designs, but all are made to eliminate mats without destroying coat length. (Some are even available for lefties. One popular model has sharp (but recessed) blades to cut through the mats, with transverse tines to comb out and smooth the hair. Some models have small teeth on the blades which help collect the hair. You may have to try out several models before you find the one that works best for you. Using scissors can be dangerous — one spring from the cat in the wrong direction and you could end up stabbing it. Cat skin is extremely thin and tears very easily.

Another reason not to use scissors is simple aesthetics. Not only will scissors leave an ugly hole in your cat's coat, but cutting the hair unevenly will make it harder to trim in the future.

If the knot is simply intractable, you may be able to cut it out with small, blunt-nosed scissors, but first slide your comb under the knot between the mat and your cat's skin. You certainly don't want to cut the skin. Skin under mats can be very sore and tender, so use care.
In some cases, you can prevent mat-formation by applying a little grooming powder to a mat-prone area. It doesn't always work, but it does absorb some of the grease and it's certainly worth giving a try. Grooming powder is not baby powder, by the way. It's important to use the correct product—you can purchase it in grooming-supply stores, pet-supply stores and even online!

Another necessary tool is a natural stiff-bristle brush, but its main use is to fluff the coat after combing. The metal comb does all the hard work. When the cat is combed out, brush it vigorously against the growth of the hair. This will make it fluffy and stimulate the growth of new hair as well.

If you're going to show your cat, a pair of curved scissors comes in handy for trimming excess hairs, but that's different from cutting out knots.
Done regularly and with love, your Persian will come to regard its grooming sessions as just another way of being the center of attention — which is what it really wants, anyway.