Cat Brush and Comb – What Are Your Favorite Cat Grooming Tools?
I am asked a lot about cat brushes. However, it is usually difficult to refer anyone to anything because Charlie and Trigg borderline hate cat brushes and combs.
We have reviewed quite a few – luckily Caymus and Murphy do not hate brushes or combs. In fact, I have never had cats hate brushes and combs like Charlie and Trigg do…however, that usually doesn’t stop me. One of my favorite cat grooming tools is the JW Pet Comb – I usually can grab it and get a mat out or a knot or just comb out hair to make it look nicer.
Here are some other cat brushes we have reviewed (along with our videos of each one) – do you have a favorite cat brush? Please list it below in the comments and be sure to include why you love it!
Here are the brushes we have reviewed:
JW Grip Soft Cat Brush – Read our review or buy it here
JW Pet Gift Soft Slicker Brush – Read our review or buy it here
Shedmonster – Read our review or buy it here
JW Pet Cat Comb – buy it here
JW Pet Gripsoft Rotating Comfort Cat Comb – buy it here
JW Pet Shedding Blade for Cats – Read our review or buy it here
KONG Zoom Groom Cat Brush Review – Read our review or buy it here
Tangle Teaser (made for humans, but Charlie likes it) – buy it here
Safari Cat Comb Review – Read our review or buy it here
EZ-Groomer Cat Shedding Comb 7-Tooth – Read our review or buy it here
What is your favorite cat brush and why? Please leave comments below and be sure to include:
- Brand of cat brush, i.e. JW Pet
- Model of cat brush, i.e. Slicker Brush
- Price you remember paying for it – or link to where one can find it online
- Why you like it for your Ragdoll cat or if you don’t have a Ragdoll – what is their coat like and why do you like it?
- Can’t decide on just one?
More Cat Grooming on Floppycats:
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
We still use the Shedmonster for Miss Pink Sugarbelle’s fluffy, fluffy coat. That and damp hands works really well to get those messy fluffles out. 🙂 We also have nail clippers for herself’s chunkcy, tufty paws and and soft q-tips to gently clean her outer ears – which is rarely needed. 🙂
Thanks for the great collection of info, Jenny!
Big hugs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
RE: Grooming videos…
There are, seemingly, dozens of videos on YouTube about groming cats in all levels of hair length and matting…
1. Just open the “You-Tube” app. (Download it for free if you don’t already have it.)
2. In the upper right-hand corner, where there’s a little Magnifing Glass and a small search-bar window, type “How to Groom Long Hair Cat”.
As you type, different options wil come up. When I typed, I was left at the end with two options, for either long-haired cats or long-haired dogs.
3. Simply select the “long haired cats”, and a page will open containing, literally dozens of videos you can watch.
After you finish each one,
4. just be sure to hit the back-arrow which is to the upper left of the videos portion of the page.
That will take you back to your original video listing.
5. Then, scan down and watch the videos, one-at-a-time and hitting the back arrow afterwards, that you think might be helpful or of interest.
Linda
One more thought for all of you that may have troublesome, thick cottony-coats more like a Persian:
My best friend’s sister bought this for a long-haired and matted barn cat that she coudln’t get all the matts out of or keep up with. Seems it worked like a charm!:
1. Easy Pet Grooming Undercoat Rake-DeSheddingTool-Fantastic For Dogs & Cats Grooming-High Quality Durable Dog Groomer -Pet Brush-Cat Grooming-Grooming Tool
Looking around Groomer’s Mall, once, I found what seemed like a similar thing:
2. Coat-king by Mar’s
Here’s a link on the page you don’t want to miss:
3. Coat-king results shown on Groomer’s Mall website
Can’t personally vouch for any of them, but considering my friend’s sister, it sounds like a tool like either of those might be just the thing! (Seems to have wonderful reviews.)
I’m gonna nosey around on You-Tube to see what I might find. Seems there, nowadays, you can find instructional videos on most anything!
Linda
Dear ABarletta,
A video demonstrating grooming tools sounds like a wonderful thing! Maybe that’s something Jenny would be willing to do sometime? (Only, it’s really hard, when there’s unwilling subjects…)
ha ha ha – yes, totally not experienced in the grooming area at all – i grew up with a cat that didn’t need grooming and now have two that don’t need it. it’s sort of foreign to me really – like talking about cat shows!
Jenny,
RE: “poopy-butt”
I don’t feed all dry. I feed an expensive dry, recommended by the breeder, but I switched the canned from a popular grocery brand to the dry brand, thinking I’d be doing the best for Lolly. (The switch had to be done, slowly, over a number of weeks, as the change, because of being richer, did bring on diaherrah.) But once I went more slowly, things have been fine.
She gets one can a day, half in the morning and half in the evening. She can supplement with the dry at will, but rarely does… And she’s been on this diet ever since a kitten. So, how could it be poopy-butt? It’s only as her hair began to get really long that I began to experience her soft hairs catching the stool. (Picture her being lower to the litter, as her legs aren’t all that long.)… and a session with thinning shears took care of it! (Asking the vet’s office about it, they mentioned a trim. So, it did make me wonder if all thicker-coated cat breeds might experience this kind of thing.)
But I do so much appreciate your comments and the link! I’ve sent the poopy-butt link onto my breeder…
Best!
Linda
Given the fact that she has poopy butt and is eating dry, she will continue to have it…until the cause is removed. In other words, you can fix what the effects are of the cause, but until you fix the cause, you will continue to have the effects. Good luck on the breeder – I’ve found many are not knowledgeable about dry food issues whatsoever and it is my number #1 issue through email.
I must have said something wrong. She’s eating canned. Dry is out for supplement, but she rarely touches it. She’s eleven months, now, and has been on the same diet, since she was a kitten. This dry and formed stool — it’s not anything that needs to be washed off in the sink — catches on some of her very silky hairs. It’s easy to remove with a tissue, unless she’s remved it. Using the thinning shears took care of the problem. And she never had the problem ’till her coat grew out very recently.
It seems from what the vet’s office said about clipping hairs, that it could be something prevalent in long-haired cats.
Well, gosh guys. I only did what you would do. What would be neat, though, is to know if anybody tries any of these and agrees with me.
With my collies, as you might imagine, grooming was pretty tough. In fact, when Lolly’s breeder recommended a Greyhound comb — what? … just a comb?!! — I didn’t think she was serious. And you’d never believe the number of grooming slickers I tried — including the Furminator I had for my Pug which is now gone, too — so I most heartily recommend that T-brush, a Greyhound comb and those nailcutters…
I started out on the T-brush before her coat came in. She seemed to love it, kinda like Maru does, especially under the chin and neck area. But Lolly really didn’t want to lay still very long. I thought she’d slowly come to enjoy it…. Well, wrong… after a battle — where I proved myself Alpha (I was not going to pay a groomer to take care of her hair), she’ll continue to growl (some), interspersed with grooming licking (meaning she’s enjoying it.
Lolly’s coat is true RagaMuffin and really doesn’t require regular grooming (thank God for small miracles!). But I do try to do her every so often which might be a month or so to get an overall look over her. Now that her coat’s grown out, I find it’s best to start with the T-brush lightly all over. I’m able to get into the armpits and behind the knees and around the anus — all the harder areas one might think. And it really moves pretty quickly… As I go, though, I find I can go deeper with the T-brush, too. Boy, I love that slicker! (And on my pug, Ming, it removes ALL of her dead hair! No more taking her places only to have her leaving hair everywhere, embarassing me. I’ve NEVER been able to get it all out before…)
… and as to the comb, well, it’s absolutely wonderful, too. I find it goes quickly all over right after having used the slicker, and even separates more hairs than I’d thought. It goes very smoothly, and the process is really quick for both. … and I walk away feeling she’s really be totally groomed…
If anyone purchases and tries these things make a post! It would be good to know that others tried and really liked using these two products, too.
Linda
PS The #809 comb I bought is amazingly big (high), compared to the picture. But it’s the perfect length to hold in your hand comfortably. It’s amazing. And even tho’ I only use the one side, it seems adequate — a good thing in case some of you might think you’d need the coarser side, too.
The T-slicker brush is bigger than I’d hoped, but the head isn’t all that big, and the coated tines are perfect. And the T-shape of it makes it move in your hand like you’ve never experienced: pull strokes seem easier than swipe strokes. If you try it, I hope you like it.
You know what would be wonderful, if someone has the time and the patience, is to do a video of a grooming session showing how to comb, brush, etc. How to get mats out. How to trim around the bloomers (I think it is called a sanitary cut?).
Linda, this is an incredible (and exciting) list of resources. Very generous of you to share this information with us all. Thank you Linda and Thank you Jenny.
Hi, Jenny,
You’ve been such a big help to me with different toys, supplies and grooming ideas for my new RagaMuffin, Lolly, I can’t help but share…
What I wanted to find most was the slicker-type VERY SMALL headed brush I’d seen Maru being groomed with on You-Tube. Lolly is small! I purchased what I thought would be the same as the JW Grip Soft Cat Brush you had shown, but mine didn’t look the same, were huge and didn’t have the coated tips that I wanted, so instead I bought a wonderful Mar’s T-slicker brush that was so exciting I had to send my breeder one. (She liked it so much it’s all she took with her to the next show, where she’d entered a kitten!): (Sorry I don’t know how to load pictures onto this forum…)
1. Brushing and Maru 5 (2/23/14)
2. Mar’s T-slicker (Scan down the page.)
But the breeder had recommended a “Greyhound” comb which also works fabulously. So,, as I’d had the AARONCO brand (from England/stainless & pricey!) previously for my collies, I found the Groomer’s Mall who also had the AARONCO brand that I loved that previously I’d only been able to find at shows. Unsure as to fine/mediium or coarse, I bought #809. This is where I found the T-slicker brush:
3. Aaronco Honeyocmb Greyhound Comb #809
Other fun things I have in my groomers bag are the Tangle Teazer which I found from you… … the King Zoom, also… and a wonderful round shower brush, similar to this, like my husband had used:
4. Shampoo scalp massage brush
Now here’s something different I’d like to share: the best nail cutters I’ve found. I asked my vet to purchase them for me, because they’re what they used. They’re simply fabulous (just the right size and easy to still see what you’re doing):
5. White V1718 stainless nail clippers
… and what I need help with now are some thinning shears. Lolly is only 5.5 lbs.. So, she’s pretty low to the ground. So, I have a new dilemma with stool catching in her pantaloons and tail, as her hair filled in. The breeder recommended short, single-blade thinning shears. Has anyone else had to use any? Does anyone have any recommendations? (I borrowed some from a friend, and they work like a charm. But I need to buy a pair for my own. Last time, we tried using electric clippers, instead, but they didn’t do the job.)
Love the T-slicker and the comb, as well as the nail clippers. Would HIGHLY recommend all three…
Thanks so much!
Linda
Linda, GOODNIGHT! This list is awesome – thank yoU!! Thank you for taking the time to type it all out and include details, as no doubt it’ll help other readers as well!
As far as the poop thing, does she eat dry food? Please read this cat poop talk page to learn more about dry food and poopy butt.
thanks for the great information. I got Luna the zoom kong brush but she does not seem to care for it. then again she only been with me three days. I think i will buy the shed monster. she is so little all the brushes at the store seem big.
how old is she?
This was a great article and perfectly timed for the spring shed! I found several brands of the shedding blade in my local Cat Shoppe. I discovered it’s essentially a curry comb – used on horses and dogs. It does a fabulous job! Thanks!
I purchased my rotating comb on ebay from a US seller…This listing is from an international seller, as were all the others. I was looking to post an item #, but couldn’t find one. Hope this link works…it’s only a picture.
http://www.equestrianperformance.co.uk/ebay/vital/20427.jpg
I entered Bamboo cat/dog comb.
For me and my Pink Sugar baby, it’s the Shedmonster!
Thanks for a great post. Really interesting to see what everyone prefers to use. 🙂
Big hugs!
Patti & Pink Sugar 🙂
In reference to the comb I use, it’s made by Bamboo Care…dog/ cat rotating fine tooth comb. Listed on eBay .
Gloria – do you mind copying and pasting a link – when I went searching there were a number of results, so I wasn’t sure about which one. Thanks.
I am a slicker brush addict. I use a slicker brush with long wires during the winter, when my Ragdoll’s fur is really thick. She grows a big, thick ruff and seems to have an undercoat. In the summer I use a slicker brush with shorter wires. At the end of her grooming session, I hold her like a baby, belly up, and comb her underside with a flea comb. (She does not have fleas; I just think it’s better to use in that area.) My husband is very slightly allergic to cats, so i am a fanatic about grooming her. Can’t give my husband any reason for getting rid of her, can I?
Glad you like them and she does too!
i’ve got to try that shedmonster! i have the furminator but i find on my big fluffy cat that it pulls on his hair and he hates it. i have to brush him a lot or he gets mats.. his hair underneath is like cotton candy, it’s so soft. another human brush that i use on my cats is the “michel mercier” professional. it comes in 3 different categories.. fine, medium and thick hair. the one i have is for fine hair. it has the different length bristles, they are plastic and you get 2 in a pack when you buy them. my cats just love being brushed with them and they are made to not pull on tangles so they are great if you have some tangles on your cats hair or mats that aren’t too serious. they do also get the undercoat and shed your cat but not extremely. i love the way it feels on my head so i can imagine that it feels great on a cats body. thanks for all the demos of the brushes jenny. charlie and trigg crack me up.. it’s funny how some cats really love to be brushed and some just hate it.
I’ve been using the Untangler – as in, one particular comb – on my floofs for 13 years: two Persians, a Ragdoll, and a DMH tortie. They’ve all thought it’s the best thing ever. http://www.theuntangler.com/
Thanks, Coinneach – I just requested one for review! Hope they send it to us. I would love to find a comb that Charlie and Trigg don’t want to bite!
Oh, they’ll still want to bite the comb, Jenny =). I’m looking at mine now and it has little bite marks from when Zen would steal it and apparently try to kill it. When the Untangler first came out, I was so impressed with it, that I bought combs for all my vets and cat friends. It was a Litter Lifter experience =). No mats on my cats!! It works well on all different longhair fur types–plush, silky, baby chick down, fluff, etc. I wouldn’t recommend it for shorthaired cats, though, even plush shorthairs like Exotic Shorthairs, because the teeth are too long.
I can see it going through Charlie’s tail. I’d suggest holding the base of his tail with that arm pressed softly against his side and then just combing away. You’ll be amazed how much fur you get out.
ok, good to know – i requested one, so i hope they do send one!
Jenny, I have an untangler comb. I don’t seem to be able to groom Sebbie’s fine hair with it. It barely goes into the coat. There is no grip on the fur to comb it through. Unless I am doing it wrong.
I would love to try that still!
That’s my favorite, too, for longhaired cats, followed by JW’s rotating comb. Preference, I think, is determined by which feels better in your hand–I have both, because Zen always tried to hide them =).
They don’t yank very much, although that doesn’t stop a cat from protesting. I could get William’s marshmallow fluff belly done before he started complaining. It’s amazing, and perhaps embarrassing, how much fur they get out. Maybe William had an exceptionally large head for a Ragdoll, but I could use the Untangler on his head; I use a flea comb on my other cats’ heads, whether long or short-haired.
Thanks for the information, I’ve been searching for a good comb/brush! I went to the untangler website you listed but there are so many combs to choose from?!?!? Do you recommend a specific comb for the extra fluffy rag? I have a beautiful blue bicolor raggie and she’s not too fluffy, but I’m picking up soon the newest member of our family, a gorgeous seal mitted blaze and she is a F-L-U-F-F-Y fluffy girl already at only 8 months! I’m so amazed at her beautiful coat, but I know the comb I use on my current sweetheart will get lost in all my new rags fluff! Thank you for any help you can give!
This is the one I use:
http://www.theuntangler.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=63
I tried to copy a picture of it but I am utterly incompetent. It’s called the Kitty Kat Komb–hey, I’m not responsible for these stoopid names–and it’s fake mother-of-pearl, about five inches long.
William was incredibly fluffy, especially on his tummy, tail and ruff. Patricia described it best: cotton candy.
dementia boy
I just verified that my comb is the 5″ comb meant for short/medium-haired cats. Good thing I didn’t know that when I first bought it, because it really works on long-haired cats. There’s no way I can use it on Izzy, a plush short-haired cat; it hurts her.
thanks – so far i haven’t heard back from them, so not sure if we’ll get one…sometimes they don’t respond but just send the product, so we’ll see.
Thanks so much for the clarification! I just put my order through for the 5″ comb! It is misleading with the short/medium haired description!
I’m newer to this site but it is so AWESOME for things such as this because only other ragdoll owners really understand issues specific to rags~ like hair care!
Speaking of hair, I’m still waiting to experience my first hairball incident with my cat? She’s never, to my knowledge, ‘coughed’ one up? Is this because I brush her?
Thanks again for the information!
Yes!! Mostly =)
It’s the beginning of shedding season now, so if you’re going to see a furball, now is the time. So keep up the brushing!!
I think–and I have no empirical data to support this theory–that diet as well as general health are responsible for furballs or the lack thereof. A diet with more fat (or Omega 3s) gets the fur going out the opposite direction. A cat with health problems will often shed and upchuck more frequently.
In 24 years, William had less than 10 hairballs. I could tell they were his because they were a light golden color (William was a flame-point Rag). The other cats were all torties, torbies, brown tabbies or other dark colors. William groomed his best friend constantly, the torbie shown as my avatar on YouTube. She is an immunological wreck and a non-stop shedder, so William *should* have had more hairballs than he did. But between brushing and a fairly high fat diet, Jolie’s fur went out the other way. That’s something to keep in mind when your new floof arrives if the cats begin grooming each other. Talk to your vet about putting some krill oil or other Omega 3 in their diets if you don’t want to use a high-fat cat food.
Four paws up for brushing your bebe!!
Dementia Boy,
Thank you SO much for the information on hair balls!! I will ask my vet about Omega 3 and also check the fat content in her food!
Hi Coinneach. I have an untangler (maybe not the brand) and I find that the comb doesn’t really go through Seb’s fur, sort of grazes it. Also, my comb makes “noise” and that makes Sebbie nervous. Does yours make noise? Thanks!
The only brushes and combs I use are Chris Christensen..they’re expensive, but, my cats are worth it…NEVER USE FURMINATOR, they rip their fur out…ugh…
I use the big buttercomb #011 , the 000 + 006 combs which are wide and narrow teeth, one is 8″ the other is about 5″‘ and have the 007 also..the brushes are roman number I I patent pending, the other is 20 and that s the smaller oval brush..I also have the larger oval, but dont have a number on it as I’m not near my grooming bag..I get them at shows occasionally, and in line from Cherrybrook.com.
Chris Christensen NTS Staggered 1 1/4 Tooth Buttercomb 6″ Spine #011
Fine/Coarse BUTTERCOMB by Chris Christensen
Face Comb (Fine/Coarse) BUTTERCOMB by Chris Christensen 006
7-inch Tail Teaser BUTTERCOMB by Chris Christensen
Chris Christensen Wood Pin Brush 20mm Small 7.5 inches
I purchased this Chris Christensen Wood Pin brush a couple of weeks ago (on Amazon), and I am thrilled with it. I had been using a small, plastic travel brush I used to keep in my cosmetics bag, but it created a lot of static electricity on my little girl’s coat. For that reason, she always cut short her grooming sessions by walking away. But this brush really does get down to the skin, separate the fur, and causes no static. For the first time in her two-year life, she’s letting me do a complete brushing. Thanks very much, Sharon for going to the trouble to post photos & links.
Sharon, I have the Chris Christensen buttercomb. Sebastian my long haired kitty hates it. I think maybe I go too deep with it. They also sell a product called Ice on Ice which I use some times to help get out mats. I would love to see how you groom your guys with these products…
My favorite comb is a circular tooth comb. It’s great for getting mats out and doesn’t pull like a regular cat comb. I use it on Bandit, my Ragdoll, and also on my long- haired Tortie. I got mine on eBay. From what I understood, Ragdolls have no undercoat, and for that reason I don’t use a Furminator. I do use a Teflon comb on my other short- haired cats.
Gloria – thanks for sharing – do you know who makes the comb you like? Can you provide a link to it on the Internet? That way others might be able to take a look =)
Thanks,
Jenny
Gloria, do you mean a round “rake”? Thanks.
My favorite brush to brush Nico&Anya is The Furminator (might have spelt that wrong), for long haired cats. Nico doesn’t really like to be brush like Charlie and Trigg, but Anya likes to be brushed. I like to use a flea comb on them too.