A shelter had to cut two pounds of a cat’s matted hair giving ‘bad hair day’ a whole new meaning

Imagine having two pounds of matted hair on your head with no easy access to a hairdresser? That’s what this cat, Hidey, had to live with until the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center in Pittsburgh saved the feline’s bad hair day. The hair, which had formed into what were basically dreadlocks, covered the Hidey’s entire body after her elderly owner passed away. So the shelter had to cut two pounds of cat hair from her body for the cat’s own well-being.

Animals like alpaca, dogs, cattle, and even mice are known to have matted hair, but many of these breeds naturally form cords in their coats, unlike Hidey’s poor condition. On humans, matted hair can be taken care of because it’s a choice and, well, we have thumbs. On a cat, it’s just no good for their health.

Hair matting in animals can cause serious conditions like skin irritation, infected lesions, fleas and ticks, and more severe conditions can lead to the strangulation of limbs. According to Dr. Julie Horton from the ASPCA Veterinarian Hospital, grooming, brushing, and clipping the hair is essential to preventing matting.

The “dreadlocks” on this feline would have definitely taken years to form. After shaving off the two pounds of fur, the kitty was doing “much better” according to the Animal Rescue League’s Facebook account.

The shelter urged readers to check up on their elderly family members in the community. Facebook commenters argued about the abuse of Hidey and blamed the now deceased owner. While this was a sad and uncomfortable existence for Hidey, we are unaware of the elderly owner’s condition. Always remember that the elderly can have foggy minds and neglect can be prevalent, especially when it comes to nurturing another living being.

Humans and their furry friends are important, let’s not forget about them. And remember that a bad hair day for a cat can be a sign of a much bigger problem.