Adopted ex-breeding Persian turns into a tiny tiger whenever we try to brush her.. help! 🐱💥

Hey everyone, I really need some advice from fellow cat parents, especially those with high-maintenance rescue coats! We adopted our gorgeous Persian girl when she was already 3 years old. Unfortunately, she has a pretty rough past: she was used for breeding before us. Of course, the first thing we did was get her spayed, microchipped, and settled into a safe, loving home. She’s sweet in so many ways, but grooming is an absolute nightmare. Because of her past, she came to us with a few dreadlocks/mats. We managed to carefully snip a tiny bit of them out, but her coat really needs regular combing to stay healthy. The problem? She bites..and she bites HARD. Here is what we’ve tried so far:

The Grooming Salon: Total disaster. She completely panicked and went wild, so taking her to a commercial salon is off the table to avoid traumatizing her further.

Home Brushing: The second she sees a brush or feels us touching a tangle, her defensive instincts kick in immediately.

We know her aggression comes from fear and likely handling trauma from her past, but we’re at a loss for how to help her coat without ending up in the ER with a bite wound! Has anyone successfully turned around a traumatized cat who hates being brushed?

How do you build trust with a rescue who treats a comb like a threat? Are there specific tools (gloves, specific comb types, lick mats with treats?) that worked wonders for your spicy fluffballs? At what point should we talk to a vet about a mild anti-anxiety prescription just to get her through a reset shave?

Any tips or success stories would be greatly appreciated! We just want our fluffy girl to be comfortable and mat-free. ❤️