We have a grey tabby that has developed 3 matted hair spots ...

Usually hot spots like this are started by flea bite allergies. These are usually made worse by biting, licking, or scratching. The important thing for successful treatment of a hot spot is to find the underlying cause to break the cycle of continued skin trauma and resulting inflammation. For many animals flea prevention such as Frontline can help do this.
I suggest cleaning the spots with Betadine (iodine solution) and they try neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment on the spots.
If you need to trim hair be very careful not to nick the skin as cat skin is very easy to slice - easer than mats may be.
You may need antibiotics from the vet to help cure this up.
You can read more here
http://netscape.petplace.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=84
Hope this helps you!




__________________
Please press Accept if you find my answer helpful. Want more info? Just reply on your question!
Bonuses for good work are always appreciated!
Thanks for the opportunity to help you!

There is no inflammation and no fleas (we checked her, other cat, and dog) just matted hair balls. We cut them down hoping the hair growing out will make it possible to cut the mat closer to the skin and eliminate it but the hair just grows out matted. Should we take her to vet (or groomer) and have the spots shaved down?

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on November 10 2005 at 2:57pm

Yes you could get them shaved and then brush daily. You can also try the no more tangles type matt sprays for pets to see if that will let you brush the matts out as they are.
You can use a wide toothed steel comb along with the detangler or you can see if one of the tools made by Mars Coat King will help. You can see the Mars tools here
http://www.groomersmall.com/coat_kings.htm
Oster also makes a line of these type tools.
An online catalog you can look at for grooming supplies is www.petedge.com and they should have shampoos and detanglers and combs etc.
You may want to have your vet check the spots just in case this is related to skin oil gland issues. If the matts are greasy seeming that might be part of the issue.
What I have found in teasing matts apart is a detangler helps, using a metal comb and starting from the outside breaking the mat not by pulling up on the skin but by pushing sections of it apart towards the skin, and holding the mat with my fingers below where I'm working on it so the skin does not get pulled helps.
Sometimes a slicker brush will get the top layer of the mat started straightening out then you can pull that top layer aside and work in the next layer.
A groomer or vet may shave the cat down for you and if you do that make sure to start brushing every day to keep mats from forming as the coat grows out.


__________________
Please press Accept if you find my answer helpful. Want more info? Just reply on your question!
Bonuses for good work are always appreciated!
Thanks for the opportunity to help you!