The Best Cat Brushes

Buying Guide for the Best Cat Brushes

Why buy a cat brush?

Brushing your cat on a regular basis keeps their skin and hair healthy. With a good cat brush and a bit of one-on-one time, you can remove grease, dirt, and skin flakes, improve blood circulation, and develop a bond with your cat. But that’s just half of it! Brushing your cat decreases the amount of cat hair that ends up on furniture, floors, clothes, curtains, and the car. Plus, it can help ease the formation of hairballs.

What should you look for in a cat brush?

• Design: The variety of cat brush designs is kind of impressive. The general categories include grooming gloves, bristle brushes, and combs. Gloves are covered in rubber tips and give you full hand contact to more thoroughly brush and even massage your cat. Some bristle brushes feature a self-cleaning mechanism. There are also compact combs with long, angled teeth that go straight through short or long cat hair to reach the skin, pull through the fur, and remove loose hairs and knots.
• Bristle Type: There are so many options: bristle brushes, slick brushes, pin brushes, and molting and massaging combs, to name a few. For the most part, you want to base your brush selection on your cat’s hair. Short-haired cats may do well with soft bristle brushes; their skin is more exposed than long-haired cats and may be sensitive. Pin brushes are great for medium and long-hair cats. The wire, rubber-tipped bristles go straight through thick hair to massage the skin and pull out knots and tangles.
• Grip Type: If you’ve brushed a cat before, you know that brushing can last between 10 seconds and an hour-long cuddle/brushing session. Look for a brush that has a soft, non-slip grip. There are also handle-less cat brushes with a strap you secure over your hand for some grip-free brushing.

What bristle material should you choose?

It depends on your cat. You can find slicker brushes with stainless steel tines or grooming gloves with soft, plastic teeth. Some cats (often those with long fur) like firm or somewhat sharp bristles or mental tines. They’ll even rub their heads over and over the bristles, essentially combing themselves. Other cats have sensitive skin and prefer the gentle massage of rubber-tipped grooming gloves and some pressure from your hand.

Our Picks for the Best Cat Brushes

Pros: A revolutionary feline grooming tool, the grooming glove gives you total control. With no distance between your hand and your cat’s coat, you essentially cradle and massage your cat as you comb. If your cat is even somewhat open to bathing, you may be able to coax them into the tub as you hold them securely with the grooming glove. The rubber glove is perfect for water; it protects your hands if your cat happens to lash out and keeps them dry. For both long and short-haired cats, the sticky surface of the glove attracts shedding hair. When you’re done, simply remove the gloves and peel off the hair mass you’ve gathered. No doubt you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to remove so much loose hair!

Cons: It doesn’t get as much hair off as some traditional brushes.

Bottom Line: You can’t go wrong with this skin-friendly grooming glove with beneficial features for both you and your cat. Plus, it comes in blue, red, and purple.

 

Pros: It’s a fantastic take on the generic slicker cat brush. Just about any fussy, furry feline will give way to the feel of the curved, thin stainless-steel pins as you brush their itchy skin. But not to worry—the pin bristles are gentle enough not to hurt your cat but firm enough to remove mats and tangles. With the 4.5-inch-wide brush paddle, each stroke covers more furry territory and speeds up the brushing process.

Cons: The bristles on this brush can be too sharp for cats with thinner coats.

Bottom Line: If you have a cat who will sit or lie still for long enough, you and your cat can enjoy some bonding during brushing time. This slicker brush can work magic to remove mats and tangles and reduce cat hairballs.

 

Pros: If your attempts at brushing your cat have ended in a stand-off, check out this interesting slicker brush. The ergonomic design of the handle alone might make brushing easier. It features a slip-resistant grip and works equally well for the left- and right-handed. Also, the handle is angled so that it’s higher than the base, which gives you leverage and better control to get at the hard-to-reach areas like your cat’s head and cheeks. Finally, this slicker brush stands out from the rest with its self-cleaning button. Simply push the button located on the top side of the brush. This action thrusts out the detachable plastic disc on the bristle-side of the brush, moving the fur to the top of the bristles. Simply grab the hair mass and throw it away!

Cons: This brush doesn’t hold as much hair at a time as some others.

Bottom Line: A great combination of basic qualities like quality material combined with an original design, this slicker brush can make your cat and your house cleaner and happier. The stainless-steel pins can handle short, medium, and long hair.

 

Pros: The cute handle on this brush has a hole for your fingers; so rather than gripping the handle, you simply insert your fingers, wrap your thumb around it, and pull the comb through your cat’s fur. This tool removes loose hair and massages your cat at the same time. That’s what they call a two-in-one masterpiece. While the long, curved tines appear to be sharp, stainless steel, they’re soft plastic. So, you really can get in deep to drag out loose hair and mats. In fact, you may find that your cat just loves when you gently scratch their coat with the soft tines.

Cons: It doesn’t collect as much hair at a time, so it will take longer to brush through your cat with this brush.

Bottom Line: Your kitty cat will most likely love this cute brush. It’s great for casual brushing sessions on the couch.

 

Pros: This self-cleaning slicker cat brush has a lot going for it. The fine, curved stainless steel bristles are sufficiently sturdy and sharp to get through your cat’s thick hair, but the brushing is gentle because the end of each wire bristle is rounded to protect your cat’s skin. Because the steel pin bristles are firm but soft, you can spend time massaging your cat to remove dead skin and increase blood circulation. When the brushing session has concluded, simply push the button on top of the nearly 4-inch-wide brush paddle to release the hair you’ve collected.

Cons: You may find it difficult to remove the hair from the brush, even after you’ve pressed the button.

Bottom Line: This blue slicker brush for cats has the characteristics most cat owners look for when shopping for a new cat brush. It’s sturdy but soft and easy to use. And you can massage, scratch, or brush with it—whichever your cat prefers.

Final Thoughts

We hope you’ve found some cat brushes that interest you. The most important consumer to impress is your cat. If one brush doesn’t work, make note of the reasons why, and then try another. Your cat deserves your “purrserverence”!