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Home > General > 11 Best Cat Grooming Tools in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

11 Best Cat Grooming Tools in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

fluffy orange cat with hepper Brush on Bed

Regular grooming of your kitty isn’t just about helping you vacuum less often – it’s a MUST-HAVE habit to help keep your cat healthy. Indeed, regular brushing reduces the amount of hair your cat ingests daily and decreases the formation of hairballs in its stomach. Besides, this habit helps strengthen your bond with your kitten; and what cat parent doesn’t want that kind of relationship with their furry companion?

That being said, you will need some great tools to help make these grooming sessions more enjoyable for you and your cat. Check out our reviews of the best cat grooming tools; these reviews will help you familiarize yourself with the options and hopefully find the right one for you and your pet.divider-cat

A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024

Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Hepper Cat Brush Hepper Cat Brush
  • Comfortable, fast brushing with 60-degree needle bend
  • One-click fur removal for easy cleaning
  • Metal needles brush and clean quickly
  • Budget Buy
    Second place
    HARTZ Small Slicker Brush for Cats HARTZ Small Slicker Brush for Cats
  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to use
  • Triangular shape that allows you to reach small areas
  • Third place
    Resco Wrap Comb for Small Pets Resco Wrap Comb for Small Pets
  • Extremely durable and resistant
  • Pins with rounded tips
  • Comfortable grip
  • Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush
  • Super easy to clean
  • Fine bristles that penetrate deep into the fur
  • Provides a gentle massage
  • FURminator deShedding Edge Cat Brush FURminator deShedding Edge Cat Brush
  • Works great on thick fur
  • Excellent in reducing shedding
  • Brush handle provides a firm grip
  • The 11 Best Cat Grooming Tools

    1. Hepper Cat Grooming Brush – Best Overall

    Uses: Removes loose hair and undercoat
    Recommended for: All types of hair

    Whether you’ve got a plush long-haired cat or a scrappy shorthair, the Hepper Cat Brush can handle it. We found the Hepper Brush to be the best overall brush for cats of all coats. It has a wire-style brush head with flexible metal needles that bend up to 60 degrees. These flexible needles make it more comfortable for your cats than most wire brushes, and they carry the added bonus of making brushing faster and easier for you, too. The brush is completely water-safe, so you can wash a damp kitty or rinse it off when it gets dirty. It also has a button that removes fur from the bristles when pressed.

    Wire brushes are ideal for many coat types, but they do need to be used with care. Too much pressure can cause pain for cats. You can run the brush along the inside of your arm to get an idea of how much pressure you need—enough to keep the brush moving through fur, but not so much that it’s painful. However, for cats with very sensitive skin, no metal brush will be comfortable.

    At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!

    Pros
    • Comfortable, fast brushing with 60-degree needle bend
    • Washable and one-click fur removal for easy cleaning
    • Metal needles brush and clean quickly
    Cons
    • Metal brushes may irritate some cats

    2. HARTZ, Groomer’s Best Small Slicker Brush for Cats – Budget Buy

    HARTZ, Groomer's slicker brush_Amazon

    Uses: Removes tangles and mats
    Recommended for: Cats and kitten with short hair

    This small slicker brush (a type of pin brush) has dozens of fine metal teeth and is flexible enough to move comfortably along your cat’s body. Without any fancy features, this basic grooming brush does a great job of removing dead, loose hair in the topcoat and undercoat and can even get rid of mats. However, it doesn’t have a self-cleaning mechanism, so pulling out the fur involves using your fingers to grasp between the teeth, which can be an inconvenience for some people. But despite that, this cat grooming tool is our pick for a budget buy.

    Pros
    • Inexpensive
    • Easy to use
    • Triangular shape that allows you to reach small areas (ears, neck) without hurting your cat
    Cons
    • No self-cleaning button
    • Not as resistant as the other brushes
    • May not be as effective for long-haired cats

    3. Resco Wrap Comb for Dogs, Cats & Small Pets

    Resco Wrap Comb_Chewy

    Uses: Removes stubborn knots and tangles in thick coats
    Recommended for: All types of hair prone to mats

    This dematting comb is another good choice because it works wonders for cats with thick, fluffy coats. If you have a cat who is prone to develop mats or tangles and you’re ready to splurge on a fantastic tool, the Resco Wrap Comb will do the trick. It will reach the knots, gently pull them apart and smooth them out. However, keep in mind that this detangling comb is not the best option for cats who do not develop mats, as this comb is not intended to remove loose hair and debris.

    Pros
    • Works also for small dogs or other small pets
    • Extremely durable and resistant
    • Pins with rounded tips so as not to hurt your kitty
    • Comfortable grip
    Cons
    • Pricey
    • Won’t work great for short-haired cats

    4. Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush

    Hertzko Self-Cleaning cat brushes_Chewy

    Uses: Removes tangles, loose hair, and dirt
    Recommended for: Long-haired cats

    The Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush is a perfect grooming tool for long-haired cats. You will have no problem removing all the dead hairs often hidden under their dense fur. Plus, the self-cleaning button makes your life easier – no need to use your fingers to remove all the hair and other grooming residues! However, this brush is unsuitable for short-haired cats, as the sharp teeth could scratch their sensitive skin.

    Pros
    • Super easy to clean with the self-cleaning button
    • Fine bristles that penetrate deep into the fur
    • Provides a gentle massage for a more pleasant grooming
    Cons
    • Might scratch the skin of cat with thin coats

    5. FURminator deShedding Edge Cat Brush

    FURminator for Cats, deShedding Tool_Amazon

    Uses: Removes loose hair and undercoat
    Recommended for: All types of hair

    Furminator is an American brand that was born from the original idea of a professional groomer. The Furminator deShedding Edge is another great grooming tool, because it’s an innovative cat brush that improves the well-being of animals that shed large amounts of hair during molting. Plus, it’s highly recommended by vets.

    This cat brush features a row of tight stainless-steel teeth designed to remove hair that has fallen out during shedding. The rounded edges are slightly longer than the teeth so that the latter does not directly touch the skin. Besides, the Furminator has a push button that makes it easy to clean the brush. You should use this brush once or twice a week for optimal effectiveness.

    Pros
    • Works great on thick fur
    • Excellent in reducing shedding (and less shedding = less vacuuming)
    • Reduces formation of hairballs
    • Brush handle provides a firm grip and prevents it from slipping out of your hands
    Cons
    • Some cats may find the edges uncomfortable against their skin
    • A bit pricey

    6. Mars Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush

    Mars Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush_Amazon

    Uses: Gently removes dead hair
    Recommended for: Short-haired cats

    Unlike the previous brush, the Mars Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush will do wonders for short-haired cats. This light, ergonomic, and super easy to use tool will allow you to gently brush your kitten without them wanting to tear your eyes out. But seriously, this brush is perfect for gently removing the top layer of hair from your kitty’s fur while giving him a gentle massage.

    Pros
    • Super soft bristles that won’t hurt thin coats
    • Great for sensitive kitties that are not fond of grooming
    • Make the cat’s fur soft and shiny
    Cons
    • Doesn’t work great on tangles and mats

    7. Frisco Cat Curry Brush

    Frisco Cat Curry Brush_Chewy

    Uses: Massaging and removing loose hair
    Recommended for: Short-haired cats

    With its short, thick, and flexible rubber nubs, this curry brush is ideal for massaging and stimulating the circulation and distribution of natural oils and removing dirt, loose hairs, and debris. This cat brush is one of the best for grooming short-haired pets and young cats. However, it is not suitable for disentangling a dense coat.

    Pros
    • Great for cats that shed a lot of hair
    • Easy to use
    • Works wonders to get undercoat hair off
    Cons
    • No self-cleaning button so it may be a bit hard to clean off after

    8. Pet Grooming Glove

    Pet Grooming Glove

    Uses: Removes dirt, loose hair, and debris
    Recommended for: Cats that don’t like to be brushed

    Ideal for kittens, sensitive pets, and shorthair or hairless cats, the brushing glove is lined with soft rubber teeth that allow you to brush and massage your little feline easily. This tool also allows you to take your cat in your hands and mimic the petting, which can help strengthen your bond with him. However, this type of accessory is not designed to untangle knots.

    Pros
    • Mimics the touch of your hand for a relaxing massage
    • Soft rubber provides gentle massage and grooming to remove loose hair without scratching the skin
    • Works wonders for other pets too
    Cons
    • Don’t pick up a lot of hair
    • The “one size fits all” may not fit well for all hand sizes

    9. KONG Cat Zoom Groom Brush

    KONG Cat brushes

    Uses: Deshedding and massage grooming tool
    Recommended for: Sensitive cats

    The KONG Zoom Groom is a small rubber brush that gently removes hair from your cat’s coat. The spaced rubber teeth are flexible, making it a soft brush suitable for even the most sensitive kittens. It is, therefore, a massage brush that gently stimulates the skin without irritating it. While the Zoom Groom is a good tool for providing a gentle massage and removing unwanted hair, it is not perfect. Indeed, it does not remove all the hairs and tends to make the fur fly. However, it can remove a lot of dead hair, but it will likely let it spread on your cat and furniture.

    Pros
    • Economical option
    • Soft rubber teeth for sensitive cats
    • Effectively removes dead hair
    Cons
    • Not really great at retaining hair

    10. Hertzko Long and Short Teeth Comb

    HERTZKO Long and Short Teeth Comb

    Uses: Removes molting hair
    Recommended for: Cats that don’t have mats and knots

    The Hertzko Long and Short Teeth Comb is perfect for grooming a cat’s coat and undercoat simultaneously. The staggered teeth capture the loose undercoat fur, which often remains hidden under the topcoat. The stainless metal teeth are shorter near the handle than at the tip, making this comb easy to handle. Your cat’s long hairs will be soft and untangled with a wide-toothed metal comb, which you will gently run all over the place to remove any tangles. The combs with small teeth are somewhat reserved for cats with short hair. It helps prevent hairballs and tangles and reduces the presence of hair on the floor and clothing. On the other hand, it is useless against the already formed knots because it can hurt your pet.

    Pros
    • Removes top and undercoat hair at the same time
    • Smooth, rounded ends of the teeth prevent scratching the cat’s skin
    Cons
    • Spacing may be too much between the pins for the fur of some cats

    11. Safari Flea Comb for Cats

    Safari Flea Comb for Cats_Chewy

    • Uses: Removes fleas and eggs
    • Recommended for: All cats

    The teeth of the Safari Flea Comb are very close to each other, which ensures that fleas and eggs will be effectively removed from your cat’s fur. The good news is that flea combs can also be used on all cats. However, when you use a flea comb as a natural treatment, first immerse the comb in a bowl of water mixed with a bit of anti-flea shampoo. This will prevent fleas from escaping and re-infesting your cat. This will prevent fleas from escaping and re-infesting your cat. However, remember always to seek the advice of your veterinarian if in doubt.

    Pros
    • Eliminates fleas from your cat’s coat without irritating the skin
    • Adapts to your hand for better control
    • Economical option
    Cons
    • Not suitable for your cat’s ears
    • May sometimes get some fleas between the tines

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    Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Grooming Tools for Your Cat

    To remove your cat’s dead hair, you will need a specially designed brush. There are several models on the market today. Some are more innovative than others; therefore, it is important to be informed about the best way to use these grooming tools. Here are some tips to help you find the right tools for your needs:

    1. Define Your Cat’s Coat Type

    Before grooming your cat, you will need to define your pet’s hair type. Only then will you be able to choose the right brush for its maintenance. Slicker brushes, for example, can be suitable for all kinds of coats. In addition, certain types of brushes have been specially designed for use on both cats and dogs.


    2. Proceed Gently

    Keep in mind that your cat’s skin is just as delicate as yours. If you pull too hard to untangle your pet’s hair, it could hurt him and prevent him from enjoying his grooming session. Your furry companion will then tend to be agitated, which will make your task all the more difficult. We, therefore, recommend that you always proceed as gently as possible.

    Person brushing a siberian cat lying on floor
    Image Credit By: Massimo Cattaneo, Shutterstock

    3. Choose the Right Brush for Each Action

    For each manipulation to be performed correctly, you will need to use the right accessory. To untie knots, for example, use a simple comb. During this action, keep the hair at the base to not pull too much on your pet’s skin. For more sensitive areas like the head or stomach, use a smaller brush and ideally triangular shape.


    4. Untangle Stubborn Knots

    Long hairs are the most prone to this problem. Rest assured, however, because there are specific models of brushes specially adapted to the treatment of this type of coat. If some parts are still difficult to smooth, use a small pair of scissors.


    5. Maintain the Brush

    After each use of your brush, it is imperative to clean it. This is to ensure hygiene. To do this, all you need to do is remove the hairs that are attached to it. Then wash your item under running water, and you’re good to go.

    Bonus: Make Grooming Your Cat a Pleasurable Experience (for Both of You)

    cat brushing
    Image Credit By: ANURAK PONGPATIMET, Shutterstock

    If brushing your cat is a nightmare, buying the best brush on the market won’t magically solve the problem. To help make grooming more enjoyable and to be able to reap the benefits of your purchase, follow these three tips:

    • Get your kitten used to grooming from a young age. Baby animals are generally easier to handle than adults, and it can also quickly strengthen your bond with your kitten. However, if your cat is already past “kitten” age, skip to the next tip.
    • Give your cat treats during and after grooming. Some cats can tolerate grooming simply by feeding them while brushing. However, for long-term effectiveness and to prevent the cat from making bad associations, the treat should be offered especially after grooming.
    • Do short sessions at the start (5 minutes maximum). It is indeed preferable to avoid long sessions which strain the cat’s attention and patience. When the cat no longer reacts negatively to the handling and even anticipates getting a treat, you can extend your grooming sessions.

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    Final Thoughts

    Now that you know all the benefits of regular grooming of your kitten, you can see that having a brush specially designed for your cat’s coat type is very important. This ensures that they will be clean, healthy, and beautiful; your clothes and furniture will also thank you!

    So, for the best overall cat grooming tool, the Hepper Cat Brush will do wonders for your kitten. If you’d rather try a more economical option first, you can’t go wrong with the HARTZ, the groomer’s best little smooth cat brush. And if you’re up for splurging (and have more than one pet that could benefit from this amazing tool), go with Resco Wrap Comb for Dogs, Cats, and Small Pets.

    You may also want to read:


    Featured Image Credit: Cerrotalavan, Shutterstock

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