Looking for a good cat brush...

June 4, 2007 8:17 AM

Recommendations for a good cat brush? It's that time of year to be overwhelmed by shedding, and I'm looking for a good brush to use on my two cats. Cat details inside!

I have two short-hair cats. One loves getting brushed, the other has to be (gently) held in place - so I need a brush I can hold in one hand. I currently use a basic wire-bristle brush, which picks up a fair amount of hair. Can I do better?

I've seen the Furminator - pricey, of course, but does it work? And certainly, if I've missed a previous thread on this, please show me (brushes are mentioned in several threads, but there's no specific information I could find).

And yes, I know the most important thing is daily brushing. I will be doing my best to do that.

posted by bibbit to Pets & Animals (22 answers total)

Best answer: Get The Furminator -- it's worth the cost.

http://www.furminator.com/

We used it on our Jack Russle as well as our 18 year old plush kitty, and it worked incredibly well. Both animals even enjoyed it.
posted by jeffamaphone at 8:23 AM on June 4, 2007

A rubber brush called a Zoom Groom does a terrific job gently bringing up loose fur on our short hairs. We usually have to go over them with a wire brush too though, as it is not prefect at removing the fur from the surface of their coat once the fur has been loosened.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 8:23 AM on June 4, 2007

This is the brush I found to be just right for my cat. It is made of rubber and does a great job of picking up the hair. Also works for your carpet or clothing. You can find it online, but I picked mine up at Petsmart.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:24 AM on June 4, 2007

We have a long haired cat who used to be so plagued by matts so bad he'd have to be shaved from time to time. We got on a great regime using two different brushes that keep him matt free and looking nice.

The first is a "pin brush", the second is what I just found is called a "slicker brush". The pin brush does a great job of breaking up matts and the slicker brush removes a cat-worth of hair.

We don't brush him every day, but he still remains matt free.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 8:26 AM on June 4, 2007

THIS is... sorry.
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:27 AM on June 4, 2007

Best answer: The Furminator works! Shocking, but true! (Don't try it's lesser cousin, the ShedEnder). This thing gets out quite a lot of (very long) hair in one sitting. Be sure to stretch the cat's skin a bit and use short, quick strokes. It gets more hair that way and is more comfortable for the cat.

I supplement with this. It has a regular bristle brush, a slicker brush, a flea comb, and a fine comb (which is perfect for cleaning out the slicker brush). My cat comes running when I break this thing out. He's not really one to crave the two-legged groomers, but he loves this brush, specifically the slicker side.

Also, if your cat can sit still for it (mine needs a little restraint at first but then enjoys it), try breaking out the DustBuster. This gets all the extra stuff that the brushes missed, and doesn't require cleaning the brushes afterwards!
posted by odi.et.amo at 8:32 AM on June 4, 2007

We and our three cats love the Love Glove
posted by TryTheTilapia at 8:33 AM on June 4, 2007

Best answer: Seconding the Furminator. We bought the medium size. When I first used it on our long haired kitty (who was getting brushed twice a day with other brushes) I was shocked at how it produced sheets of hair--enough for a whole 'nother cat. And the cat likes it, though she hates ever other brush I have used. About thirty bucks from amazon with free shipping.
posted by LarryC at 8:40 AM on June 4, 2007

Seconding the ZoomGroom. My cat lurves it and it removes catfuls of catfur.
posted by desuetude at 8:42 AM on June 4, 2007

I enthusiastically recommend the Zoom Groom - and it looks like 24 people on Epinions do as well! It's made of soft rubber that clings to hair like crazy. Its wide teeth go deep into the cat's coat and give a satisfying brush that really extracts hair. The best thing about it is that you can use it liberally around the cat's chin, underbelly and around the heads without worrying about hurting the cat. Unlike a metal brush, it has no sharp or hard edges that can nick or bruise your furry friend.

Fantastic device.
posted by scarabic at 8:53 AM on June 4, 2007

While working as a vet tech for a few years, me and several doctors and co-workers tried out different combs and brushes for cats. We all agreed that funny enough the BEST comb to use was a cheap little flea comb. The plastic kind is good, but wears out pretty quickly, so metal is preferable if you can find it.
posted by citizngkar at 9:05 AM on June 4, 2007

also, if your cat will allow it, try brushing in other directions than the fur naturally lays, either across the grain or in the opposite direction. I get even more hair when I do that.

I use the zoomgroom.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:09 AM on June 4, 2007

Big silky soft paintbrushes. The bigger and silkier the better!!

It's best used after one of those round scalp bushes or something firm and thickly bristled (scrubbing, hair, horse brush ect). Keep brushes clean - the cleaner the more effective.

For feet that are off limits amusingly the paintbrush is most welcome between his toes. Likes a smaller more precise brush for his face with only one whisker inclusive sweep to clean them thank you. (I think it tickles). He perceives it as my method of licking him and although generally... edgy, sprawls belly up with rapturous abandon.

They are shorthair, and the result is satin smooth and pleasing for all concerned.
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 9:20 AM on June 4, 2007

Response by poster: These are all great - thank you. One concern I have about the Zoom Groom and the Love Glove, or any brush that's mostly rubber: I feel like cat hair would sort of statically cling to the rubber (kind of the point, right?), but then be impossible to get off. And would also have built up a static cling that causes it to stick to everything even worse than normal.

I ask because for a bit I did try something like the Love Glove - a rubber mit with long nubs, and fur would just get everywhere. And I couldn't get it off me or the floor or the glove, because the fur had built up such a static cling it didn't want to go anywhere.
posted by bibbit at 9:48 AM on June 4, 2007

bibbit, we haven't run into a static problem with the Love Glove. I've found it's actually rather easy to remove the hair from it, and our cats loooooove the combination of petting, scratching, just general being-the-center-of-attention-and-affection aspects. I love that it cuts down on fur bunnies on every surface of our apartment during the hot weather months.

I will say, though, that I think it's more of a maintenance tool rather than, say, a true grooming tool (we're actually sort of keen on the Furminator posted here - looks cool!) and we supplement with a regular wire brush which takes off more hair with each brushing. To me, the Love Glove is just a great way to pet the bejeebus out of your blissed-out feline with the added benefit of removing a bunch of loose hair.
posted by TryTheTilapia at 10:21 AM on June 4, 2007

I use a small, red, rubber "brush" like the one on this page (look just below the "Zoom Groom" at the top). The fur comes off easily - it needs to be cleaned off several times when brushing my short-haired cat. The fur does travel a little, but I think less than with a less-sticky brush.

I've had mine for over ten years and it's pretty clean. I think it's small enough that the hair comes off easily.

We love it.
posted by amtho at 11:09 AM on June 4, 2007

I am still reeling from the picture on the Furminator website of the dog surrounded by mounds of its own fur (all removed in a single grooming session, it says!). My God.

I'm sold.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:33 PM on June 4, 2007

There's an as-seen-on-TV product called ShedEnder that was labor-intensive but did clear out the undercoat on my very hairy cat. They're actually selling them at my local JCPenny now.
posted by selfmedicating at 3:58 PM on June 4, 2007

The hair comes off the Zoom Groom just fine. No real static buildup that I've noticed.
posted by scarabic at 6:08 PM on June 4, 2007

Five years ago I bought my sister's cat a Zoom Groom, and he seems to really enjoy it. The brush is gentle yet effective, and extremely easy to clean. I think it definitely fits your criteria.
posted by Mael Oui at 8:29 PM on June 4, 2007

My cats really seem to like the Love 2 Pet 2 in 1 Grooming tool. I bought it on either QVC or the Home Shopping Network last year. It pulls out lots of hair just like the furminator and the hair stays in the bristles of grooming rake, so it's easy to clean. My little cat also seems to enjoy playing with the tool while she's being groomed. She rolls on her back and bites at the head of the tool.
posted by alleycatd at 10:32 PM on June 6, 2007

Response by poster: Just an update: I did end up getting the Furminator, and it seems to be working really well. Oddly, the cat that loved getting brushed had a harder time getting used to it, and the cat that wasn't so big on the brushing really likes it. Point is, with consistent use of the brush (every couple of days), I've noticed a decrease in fur flying around, and the cat coats are looking better and better.
posted by bibbit at 2:39 PM on June 21, 2007