The Chris Christensen Cat/Carding Buttercomb #013 has teeth of two different lengths to dig into and untangle mats. A good curry brush is ideal for grooming a short-haired cat, according to Melissa Tillman, owner of Melissa Michelle Grooming. I was impressed by the Furbliss Pet Brush not just because its flexible silicone nubs are gentle and effective at removing loose hair but because it can also be used to massage a pet, remove hair from clothing and upholstery, and dispense shampoo in the bath. Harper earned his veterinary degree at the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. After completing his studies, he worked as a general practitioner for various clinics in the San Francisco Bay area, including Banfield Pet Hospitals, VCA Animal Hospitals, and VetnCare. We interviewed Harper over the phone on February 17, 2021. The soft bristles are very close together so they are better suited and more effective with short-hair, but with both long and short, we did notice an improvement after using the brush on our cats' fur. The long-haired cat wasn't thrilled with the experience, but their fur was smoother, softer, and silkier after brushing with the bristle side. On the other hand, the pin side was immediately welcomed and adored by the long-haired cat, who reveled in the feeling of the pins. This side took out some of her excess loose hair and detangled her long hair well, except for any matted and knotted fur. The brush is made to endure with easy-to-clean natural boar bristles. With gentle strokes once or twice a week, you can decrease the amount of cat hair found throughout your home, reducing cat allergens—all while helping your cat maintain a healthy coat.

Hartz Combo Brush: This dual-ended brush gives you two grooming tools in one. One side is a pin brush with round-tipped stainless steel bristles, and the other side uses nylon bristles. You can start a brushing session with the stainless steel side to help remove loose fur and detangle and then switch to the nylon side to massage and condition the fur as it redistributes the pet’s natural oils. I found the well-constructed HandsOn All-in-One Bathing and Grooming Gloves to be the best of the brands that I tested. The rubber palms are covered with rounded nubs, three clumps on each finger and two on the thumb. The other side of the glove is made of strong nylon fabric with a Velcro closure at the wrist that secures it snugly.Curry brushes: Curry brushes are the next step up from a grooming glove. Like gloves, they have soft-but-firm rubber or silicone nubs that won't rake the skin and bother sensitive cats. Curry brushes are good for massage, stimulating circulation, distributing natural oils, and removing dirt, loose hair, and debris. We found the brush was comfortable to grip with its soft, rubbery gripped handle. The grip is ridged to keep your hand from slipping. There’s also a spot for your thumb that provides added comfort. However, the brush feels top-heavy. If you have sensitive or arthritic wrists, the uneven weight distribution might put added strain on your joints and make the brush uncomfortable to grip. If you’re using the brush just occasionally on troublesome tangles, it shouldn't be bothersome. But long grooming sessions with this brush could get problematic. Pros: Dual-length stainless steel teeth, solid brass spine, lightweight, comfortable to use at different angles The Furbliss comes in two different designs. The blue brush has dense, cone-shaped teeth for short-haired pets, and the green brush has larger, more widely spaced nubs for long-haired pets. I tried both on my long- and short-haired cats and didn't notice a significant difference between them. Each one worked well on both types of fur.

Shedding is a normal function of any animal with hair. "Everything has an expiration period," Harper says. "The hair will run its course, it'll fall out, and it will be replaced by a new follicle." How does a cat's tongue work to remove hair? SleekEZ Original Deshedding Tool: This affordable wooden tool with a wavy stainless steel blade has a pleasing look and is easy to hold. But, of the three deshedding blades we tested, this one did the worst job removing hair from the undercoat. No universal rules exist for brushing with a deshedding tool. For instance, Andis recommends using its deshedder a few times a week, while Furminator recommends using its tool once weekly. How long should a brushing session with my cat last?Pros: Good for cats who are sensitive to grooming, flexible and comfortable, available in five sizes, can be used wet or dry, good for massage or bathing, durable The squishy handle of the GoPets Professional Double-Sided Pin & Bristle Brush makes it easy to hold and switch between sides. Coat texture and length vary greatly among cats, even if they are siblings, so this two-in-one combination is exceptionally convenient if you have more than one cat in your home. The versatile Furbliss Pet Brush is the only grooming tool most short-haired cats will ever need and it even removes fur from upholstery and clothing.

This roundup was updated by Anna Mejorada, a writer for The Spruce Pets, who shares her home with a happy Pomeranian named Gidget. Before researching and writing about pet products for a living, Mejorada embarked on a self-mandated, ongoing quest to find the optimal items for her dog. She is now delightfully devoted to helping humans discover and select the most favorable products for their pets. The same papillae that trap hair while grooming prevent a cat from spitting out what they remove. The hair has nowhere else to go but down the throat and into the stomach. Most of the hair a cat swallows will be digested normally and excreted into a litter box. In some cats, particularly those with luxurious, long coats, some hair will remain in the stomach, where it slowly accumulates. Eventually, that ball of hair becomes irritating, and there's only one way to get it out: by vomiting. If a cat is shedding more than usual, what might be going on? Resco Pro-Series Rotating Pin Comb: This well-constructed comb has rotating stainless steel teeth and a long, heavy handle. Unlike carding combs with teeth of two lengths, its uniform tines do poorly break up mats. With the FURminator Undercoat deShedding Tool, humans who share their home with a cat or two can reduce the amount of fur found throughout the home. This tool has a stainless steel comb, with very small teeth, that glide through the topcoat and into the undercoat, safely eliminating loose hair and cat dander. Grooming gloves: Grooming gloves are best for cats who are sensitive to brushing or who love a good massage. Like regular gloves, they fit over the hand and secure at the wrist. On the palm, dozens of raised, soft-but-firm rubber or silicone nubs help to remove loose hair, dirt, and debris while stimulating circulation and distributing the natural oils that keep the skin and coat healthy.GoPets Dematting Comb Grooming Rake: Given that it has a curved-tooth design similar to the Andis and Bissell tools, I was surprised that this brush removed far less hair than its competitors despite having a dual-headed rake. Those who refuse to be groomed with a brush or a comb may tolerate grooming gloves, which fit closely to the natural shape of the palm. "Using a grooming glove or a soft rubber grooming brush can acclimate your cat to the feeling of being brushed in a gentle way," says Simpson.

Neither of my cats seems to experience discomfort while being brushed with this deshedding tool — one absolutely adores it — and the curved plastic edge prevents the blade from accidentally cutting into their skin.

Top 5 Cat Brushes

Yes, gently brushing a cat with a soft-bristled brush, like our choice for Best Overall, the Mars Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush, once or twice a week will collect the hair that has been shed from a cat's coat. It will collect on the head of the brush, reducing the amount of hair found throughout your home. After each brushing session, the hair collected on the brush should be disposed of in the trash. Yes! Brushing a cat removes dead hair and skin cells that would otherwise end up being swallowed while grooming or shedding onto your floor. The less hair a cat consumes, the less likely they are to have regular hairballs. Brushing also distributes the natural oils in the coat to keep it shiny, stimulates blood circulation, and helps a cat and their caregiver bond. How often should I brush my cat? Litterbox.com Grooming Brush: Litterbox.com's bamboo grooming brush, which has stainless steel pins on one side and soft boar bristles on the other, doesn't fit into any of our defined testing categories, but I like that it is two brushes in one. It works well for a short-haired cat but is not particularly effective at removing the undercoat from a long-haired cat. The tool comes in two sizes. The small one has a 1.75-inch wide blade and is meant for cats up to 10 pounds. The blade on the medium-size brush is 2.65 inches wide and is meant for cats over 10 pounds. Both brushes have an ergonomic handle and fur ejector button to release collected hair. This grooming tool is ideal for both long- and short-haired felines, as well as virtually all dog breeds. The sturdy, comfort-grip handle is designed to prevent slipping and wrist strain.