Brush recommendations?

cylon.descendant

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Hi all,

I'm looking to get a brush that is better at collecting my cats' loose fur, and in particular one that will be good for a medium-length coat (with fur that is fairly fine) because my med-hair cat has a tendency to have big hairballs.

I've been looking into slicker brushes and am feeling a little lost about what to get. Ideally, a self-cleaning one would be great. My cat is also fairly sensitive, so if it is too pokey/sharp it may be hard to brush him.

I figured I would turn to this site in case anyone has recommendations for decent options!
 

danteshuman

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I would recommend the pin brush for longer hair. It is the only brush the fluffy one likes!
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Now for all short hair cats I can not say enough about this little rubber brush! Heck I flip it over and rub it back & forth on the couch cushion to collect the loose hair from brushing the cats! It works for both the boys & my previous 2 short haired cats!
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danteshuman

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Oh and all the cats I have ever had at best sort of tolerated the slicker brushes! But the purple one they love & works great. I would rather do the one they like Because it works great! After a few strokes it attracts all the loose hair.
 

artiemom

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OMG... I went through this with Geoffrey--for over 2 years. I bought every brush on the market, including gloves. He just hated brushing.

At a last resort, I tried one of my old round hairbrushes! Eureka! He loves it!!! Asks and waits for it daily! Who would have guessed!

I do try to pick up the loose hair, (if possible) with a slicker brush!

With Artie, I had to catch him while he was lying on his cat tree, looking out the window..with a slicker brush.
 

pipperoo

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My cats have always loved that purple Kong rubber brush - they are/were shorthairs though.

Pip knows to jump into the shower (before i turn it on!) in the morning for her brush. I brush her in there because her fur is so fine and it floats in the air--at least if i brush her in the shower, it gets contained somewhat.

I've used slicker brushes with varying success. One cat liked it (but it didn't collect as much hair as the Kong), the other cat only tolerated it on the sides of her face.

One cat loved an occassional go with The Furminator, my current cat is a no-go with it.

Different strokes (ha ha) for different folks.
 

Maurey

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Human style pin brushes don't do much but massage, imo, but it's nice bonding time with your cat. Kong zoom groom style brushes can be used on longhairs, but extremely sparingly. They should never be used on dry long fur, as it could damage it and/or cause tangles. They're good for picking up loose fur you've pulled out while using a comb during shed, though.

For longhairs, all you really need is a greyhound style comb -- that'll be your primary tool. You want to get one of the pricier ones, with both fine and medium spacing, as well as rounded teeth long enough to brush through to the skin.
You don't necessarily need the most expensive comb, but I wouldn't go cheap. Some cheap combs can be sharp, or cause excess static, which further tangles the coat. Here's a higher end comb that's quite popular and would suit most longhair cats. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0155XV2K8/?tag=thecatsite

If you want to get fancy, or your cat has a lot of dead undercoat, an undercoat rake could be beneficial. I use a rake once a week or so with my two, and 2-3 times a week when they're in shed. It can be useful to have a slicker brush (any will do, would recommend one that's simple, like so https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005MYBRM4/?tag= as, ime, most of the add-ons, like teardrops and self-cleaning just make the brush have less utility) to feel for and break up dead undercoat prior to using the rake, especially when you're starting off. Avoid using furminator-style rakes, though (they damage the coat as they're very prone to cutting, can cause bald spots). you want something more like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EZ7UOCM/?tag=thecatsite They claim it's a de-matting tool, but not particularly useful for that, imo. Can be nice for smaller knots, but I prefer gently working them out, if the cat has the patience for it.

Lastly, I was always taught to never brush a longhair dry. If you don't want to invest in potentially expensive detangling/conditioning sprays, and your climate isn't overly dry/your cat doesn't get super staticky, you can manage just fine with a spray bottle that mists water super finely to use as you brush (I spray once or twice before starting, and spray another time or so as needed, i.e. if static starts building up, during brushing). It prevents static from building up in the coat as you brush, which can cause damage to the fur, as well as cause further tangling and snagging.
 
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tarasgirl06

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Hi all,

I'm looking to get a brush that is better at collecting my cats' loose fur, and in particular one that will be good for a medium-length coat (with fur that is fairly fine) because my med-hair cat has a tendency to have big hairballs.

I've been looking into slicker brushes and am feeling a little lost about what to get. Ideally, a self-cleaning one would be great. My cat is also fairly sensitive, so if it is too pokey/sharp it may be hard to brush him.

I figured I would turn to this site in case anyone has recommendations for decent options!
Slicker brushes have always been the first choice of my family, for all coat lengths and thicknesses. We did get a Furminator when one of our guys, a Maine Coon, joined us -- it came as part of his "trousseau" and since he had long, thick fur, I did use it on him from time to time. It certainly did get a lot of loose fur! and clouds of it would fly all over, which I wasn't thrilled about. All in all the slicker brush is the best I've ever used. Brand is not important as far as I know. We've had many slicker brushes. Diet is very important when it comes to furballs, too. Always feed the very best you can afford -- it pays off healthwise and in terms of coat health. It's like eating the best diet you can to avoid bad health and lots of doctor appointments. We also like Feline Greenies treats -- I give out a few at bedtime -- and I alternate between the chicken dental treats, salmon skin & fur health treats, and tuna furball treats. VERY rarely are there any furballs here! I brush daily. Baby Su and Elvis are both shorthaired cats. She has a sleek coat, while he has a thick undercoat. Both of them love brushing.
 
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