9 Best Cat Hair Clippers in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

It’s a fact of life that a cat’s hair can get matted, especially if you have a long-haired breed. Although it’s better to prevent mats and tangles from forming in the first place, sometimes your cat’s fur gets out of hand. When combs and brushes no longer do the trick, you may need a set of cat hair clippers to fix the problem. If your long-haired cat is suffering from a matted coat and you need a quality set of clippers, look no further! These reviews will help you find the best cat clippers to help you clean up that matted coat once and for all.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

The 9 Best Cat Hair Clippers

The Andis AGC2 Detachable Blade Pet Clipper is our choice for the best overall cat hair clippers. It’s suitable for use on all breeds and coat types. Two different speed settings give you precision for hard-to-cut areas while maintaining ultra-quiet operation to reduce stress on your cat. Vents and cooling fans on the clipper motor prevent overheating during long periods of use, so you don’t have to worry about burning your cat’s sensitive skin. This clipper also has a 14-foot cord that gives you room to work. The removable blades make for easy cleaning, and there’s even a locking power switch to prevent accidental shut-offs during use.

Despite the addition of cooling fans, this clipper does get warm during use, with the blades becoming hot to the touch in as little as 5 minutes. The blades also clog easily, which may be the cause of overheating. The unit does not heat up as quickly if the hair is removed from the blades every few strokes, though.

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2. Andis AG 2-Speed+ Detachable Blade Cat Clipper — Best Value

The Andis AG 2-Speed+ Detachable Blade Cat Clipper is made by Andis, so it’s a high-quality clipper. It only comes with a #10 blade rather than multiple combs, but if you’re satisfied with clipping your cat’s fur to a single length, there’s no need to pay extra for more combs. This clipper has a locking power switch to prevent accidental shut-off, a 14-foot cord for range, and a spare blade drive to make sure your clippers stay running for a long time.

If your cat has particularly thick hair, you may find that this clipper clogs up and overheat. Once that happens, it pulls rather than cuts hair. You’ll need to make sure the blades stay clean while you’re grooming, so you don’t hurt your cat.

3. Wahl KM5 Rotary Cat Clipper Kit — Premium Choice

The Wahl’s KM5 Rotary Dog & Cat Clipper Kit is the best cat hair clippers for the money. It has a powerful motor that Wahl claims will last up to 10,000 hours. The clipper is ergonomically designed to be easy to handle and is lightweight, so your hand and wrist won’t get tired. It only comes with a #10 blade, but you can purchase multiple other sizes that are designed especially for this clipper.

It’s difficult to find fault with this product, but it does have a high price tag. The blades can be difficult to change if you want to switch between sizes. They are screwed down for security purposes, but the screws are tiny and hard to remove should you need to do so.

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The Oster A5 Turbo 2-Speed Pet Clipper is virtually indestructible. Its two-speed settings are higher than most other clippers, cutting at a max speed of 4,000 strokes per minute. This makes it capable of cutting through the thickest of hair, and it’s quiet enough to not scare your cat. Cleaning is a breeze with the easily detachable blade, and the kit comes with blade grease and oil to ensure that there’s no hair pulling.

While this Oster clipper is definitely worth consideration, its blade dulls quickly, and it gets hot in only a few minutes. The extra strokes per minute cause faster heating, so it only takes about 5 minutes before you’ll have to let it cool down. This can be frustrating for both you and your cat and can make grooming sessions more time-consuming. This clipper also shakes during use, and the screws may loosen over time.

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The Oster A6 Trim 3-Speed Pet Clipper has three-speed settings instead of the traditional two. This gives you more options for thick coats or extremely matted coats, as this clipper can cut through anything. Due to the high-speed vibration of this product, Oster has incorporated what it calls, “vibration isolators,” to act as shock absorbers to the motor. These reduce vibration and noise to make the grooming experience more comfortable for your pet. These clippers don’t get hot during use, which is a nice bonus that you won’t find in many other sets.

Despite the vibration isolators, the screws on the blade can still rattle loose over time. They should be checked for tightness before each use, so the blade doesn’t fall off in the middle of clipping your cat.

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The Wahl Pro Ion Lithium Cordless Pet Clippers work at a whopping 6,000 strokes per minute and come with a ton of add-ons in this grooming kit. These clippers are lightweight and powerful but also cordless, which can be a huge plus. The motor is extra quiet, and the adjustable blade gives you multiple length options without having to keep track of different blades. These clippers charge in just 15 minutes for quick use, or you can charge them for a full 120 minutes to gain yourself 120 minutes of runtime. But there’s a catch.

To avoid these powerful clippers overheating and burning your pet, Wahl has a built-in 8-minute shut-off mechanism. On the one hand, this is great because you don’t have to constantly check your blade temperature. But on the other hand, you have to get the job done in under 8 minutes or take breaks during your grooming session.

These clippers are also big. They’re great for bigger cats with a large amount of hair but may not be the best choice for smaller animals.

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The Oster Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Pet Clippers contain a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. They charge fast and boast over 2 hours of runtime on a single charge. The low torque motor cuts through tough mats in thick hair without pulling. The lower speed actually prevents these clippers from overheating during use, so while you might have to clip slower than you would with faster clippers, you don’t have to take breaks due to a hot blade.

As with many cordless tools, the charge does decrease over time. While the battery lasts 2 hours, it only runs at full power for about 30 minutes. Regardless, this should be plenty of time for you to fully groom your cat on a single charge. These clippers only have one blade and one run speed, however, so they’re not as versatile as some others.

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The ConairPRO 2-in-1 Pet Clipper/17 Piece Grooming Kit has an ergonomic design for easy handling. The blade is detachable and adjustable to five different positions, making it easy to trim hard-to-reach areas on your cat. This clipper only runs at one speed (which the manufacturer doesn’t specify), but it does have a power-boost function on the side for a short boost in thick areas or hard-to-cut mats. This kit also includes special blades for trimming sensitive areas like the paws, ears, and face.

This clipper and grooming kit offers a ton of options and accessories, but it doesn’t have the performance of most other clippers. It won’t cut through extra-thick hair, and despite the power boost, it doesn’t do a good job of cutting out mats. When using the various attachments, there is a gap between the attachment and the blade. Hair gets stuck in this opening, making the attachments hard to use. The clogged hair can work its way into the housing of the clipper if you don’t get it cleaned out fast enough, eventually leading to a burnt-out motor. This clipper is also quite loud, which can lead to stress and anxiety in your cat during grooming sessions.

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The PATPET Removable Blade Dog & Cat Grooming Clipper has an ergonomic design and gives you 5 hours of grooming time on a single charge. The ceramic cutter head has four different levels of adjustment to suit your needs, and the clipper has three different speed options. There’s an alarm that will tell you when your battery level is low or when the clipper needs oiling, so you don’t have to keep track of maintenance or runtimes.

This clipper takes 3 hours to charge and has no short charge options for quick cuts. It’s not particularly quiet, and it overheats quickly, placing your cat at risk of burns. While the blades are removable for cleaning, the clipper is difficult to put back together. If it’s not exactly right, the clipper won’t work. There’s also no instruction manual included to show you how to assemble and disassemble it properly.

Another huge disadvantage of this clipper is that replacement blades aren’t readily available. The description does state that “replacement blades are available through the manufacturer,” but they can’t be ordered without calling the company directly. Even then, it doesn’t seem to have a good stock to send out. Once your blade dulls, you may be stuck buying a whole new set of clippers.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Cat Hair Clipper

If your cat’s hair has become matted to the point that you can’t brush it out, shaving or clipping may be your only option. If you’re tired of shelling out money to the pet groomer for a job that you can do yourself, it’s time to purchase a set of clippers. There are a few different things to consider when making your purchase. Most electric clippers aren’t cheap, so you want them to be durable but powerful enough to do the job unless the scissor option would do. The type of cat that you have, their coat type, and how often you clip them should also factor into your decision.

Power

When it comes to electric clippers, power is measured in the number of strokes per minute, or SPM. Fur that’s matted can be a challenge to cut through. If your clippers don’t have enough power, they will pull on your cat’s hair, causing pain and discomfort. Professional groomers use clippers that are around 5,000 SPM. However, 4,000 is usually enough. Many clippers have adjustable settings so you can have more or less power as you need it. This feature is great for clipping areas like the legs or face, as you can power down as necessary. Using high-speed clippers in these sensitive areas is often stressful for cats.

Comfort

You will be much more likely to use your clippers if they are lightweight and comfortable to hold. Grooming a matted, long coat takes time, so your wrist and hand can become fatigued if you’re holding a heavy, bulky set of clippers. Many clippers are designed with ergonomic handles to make them easy to maneuver and hold onto.

Whether a set of clippers is electric or corded can also play into how comfortable they are to use. Cords can get tangled or tripped on. Most corded models have 14-foot cords to make them easy to maneuver. This should be long enough that your movement isn’t restricted. In some cases, a cordless model may be more comfortable to use.

Noise

Cats tend to be sensitive to loud noises, and grooming can stress them out at the best of times. Clippers that operate quietly will be less likely to cause your cat anxiety. If you need to change blades during the grooming process, look for a clipper that makes it easy for you to switch back and forth. This will speed up your grooming sessions to make things easier for your cat. Or better yet, use a manual clipper and remove the noise entirely!

Overheating

Having your electric clippers heat up after a long period of use is mostly unavoidable. However, the blades shouldn’t heat up to the point that they burn your cat’s skin. If the clippers heat up quickly, you’ll have to stop every few minutes to let them cool down, which can be frustrating for both you and your cat.

Tips for Clipping Cats

Clipping a cat is different from clipping a dog, horse, or another animal. Cats have loose skin that is more sensitive than other species, so you have to be cautious when clipping their fur. They’re especially prone to cuts if you don’t take care to move slowly when close to the skin. Stretching your cat’s skin as you go can help avoid nicking folds in their skin.

A Note on Shaving Cats

Unless your cat’s hair is so knotted and matted that it’s impossible to get it combed out, you should try to avoid completely shaving your cat. Removing your cat’s fur places them at risk of insect bites and sunburns when outdoors and makes it difficult for them to regulate their body temperature. Even if your cat is an indoor cat, they can struggle to stay warm without their fur. Long-haired cats take between 4 and 6 months to grow their coat back, so consider whether your cat can be helped by simply cutting their hair short instead of completely shaving them.

Conclusion

Among these reviews of the best cat grooming clippers, we recommend the Andis AGC2 UltraEdge 2-Speed Detachable Blade Cat Clipper as the best overall. It’s ultra quiet, offers you two-speed functions, and has built-in vents and cooling fans to stay cool. It’s easy to maneuver the clipper while in use due to the long cord, and detachable blades make cleaning easy.

The Wahl KM5 Rotary Cat Clipper Kit is the best value for the money. This cordless clipper will make grooming your cat a simple task and comes with different lengths of ceramic combs that change out easily according to your needs.

Finding the best clippers doesn’t have to be hard. There’s a ton of different options available. With our in-depth review list and buyer’s guide, you should easily be able to find a pair that works for you.

• You may also want to read: How to Shave a Cat Properly (With Video)

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Featured Image Credit: Studio Peace, Shutterstock