I have a cat with very long hair that occasionally gets so matted I have to get it shaved off. Everytime I do my other cat hisses and growls and swipes at him for a week (they ae usually best friends). This article might just explain this behavior.
I’ve had that happen when I had to use the clipper/shaver on my cats-it takes away the pack/group scent-two of my 3 cats are fur hazards-a mostly-Persian and a Maine Coon. This winter, I’ve been brushing them every day to keep away the matts, and it is working very well. I wear gloves, because they both think the brushing is play, happily kicking and biting as they purr. My little midget shorthair gets brushed too, but she just sits there purring.