How to Select a Cat Brush

You have a cat and now you would like to know what type of brush you should use to keep his/her coat nice and combed and free from matting. There are a lot of brushes and about as many types of brushes as there are styles. Tips on how to select a brush may be of help to you.

• Consider your cat when purchasing them a brush. Do they have long hair? Then perhaps you should get a pin or wire brush for a longhaired cat and hard brush for short hair or cats with dense hair.


• Make certain the brush has the appropriate bristle type for your cat. The brush should be sized well for both you and your cat. It should be easy to use and the cat should at least tolerate it if it doesn’t outright enjoy it.


• Avoid having just one brush. There are different types of brushes for different areas of grooming. Depending on your cat you may need three or four different brushes to address these areas correctly.


• Do not use hard plastic brushes that can actually harm your cat. You don’t want to scratch the cat or they may not be too keen on getting brushed again.


• Brush from front to back when brushing the cat and do it gently. Let the bristles do their job. Hard bristles keep the coats of shorthairs from knotting. Soft bristles are good at short sleek coats.


• Most pin or wire brushes are spaced further apart than regular brushes so if you brush with them first they can keep the longhair cats coats from knotting nearly as badly as the other brushes. This helps to move the cat’s body oils throughout their coats.


• Use a slicker brush first to trap loose hair and remove it from the cat prior to using the soft-bristled brush will make the cats hair shiny and smoother. You can use a slicker brush on short or longhaired cats including ones with an undercoat like Persian or Himalayans.


• Think of using a palm-held brush so your cat won’t even notice you have it. They are basically concealed in your hand and you can groom the cat without them even knowing it.