Dear Dr. John,

As a senior citizen with a senior cat, I would like some advice on how to manage his nails and fur. As he has gotten older, my cat has taken to not grooming himself properly and his nails seem to grow very fast. It has become increasingly difficult for me to groom him and keep his fur from getting matted as well as staying on top of his nail trims.

Recently, he was limping a lot on his right front foot, and it had a bad odor. I took him to the vet, and they said that he had a badly ingrown nail. It required a pedicure, some surgical cleanup, and some antibiotics. What can I do to prevent this from happening again? He has also gotten quite matted on top, and the vet shaved some of the hair mats out. How often does he need to be groomed to prevent the hair from getting all tangled?  I’m concerned about the maintenance costs but realize that I must do what I must. S.W.

Dear S.W.,

Every cat has different requirements when it comes to grooming of fur and trimming of nails. A lot depends on what happens naturally and how often an owner can address what is needed. Older cats develop arthritis and weakness so grooming becomes more of a chore for them and it is not unusual for them to let themselves go. What you can do to prevent further issues may have some cost associated with it, but it will be less costly than an emergency requiring intervention and medications.

If you can, trim the nails every two weeks and brush the cat out daily or every few days. I would consider finding out if there is a local groomer or a mobile groomer that comes to you and schedule regular maintenance. In general, cats need nail trims about every 2-4 weeks depending on a lot of factors. Does the cat have and use a scratching post? Older cats have thicker and harder nails and that requires more frequent pedicures. Start with monthly appointments for nail trims and removal of mats and see how it goes. You can always have the groomer shave the cat down to lessen the potential for mats. I hope this helps.

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.