Grooming a cat can be a frustrating practice, but if you don’t do it properly, then you’ll have a house that’s covered in cat hair and a feline that’s coughing up hairballs on the regular. But finding the right brush to alleviate your grooming problems can be a problem all on its own. There are many to choose from, with each claiming to be the best.
After researching many of the top grooming brushes on the market, we put together this list of reviews that will compare the best choices you’re likely to see. Slickers, bristles, pins, and more, this list includes all the major types of grooming brushes, going into enough detail regarding each to help you make an informed decision about which brush is the best bet for your best friend.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
The 10 Best Cat Brushes – Reviews & Top Picks 2021
1. Frisco Mini Cat Combo Brush – Best Overall
While many options are available, we think the best overall cat brush is the Frisco Mini Cat Combo Brush. This brush gives you the best of both worlds, combining a slicker brush and a bristle brush into a single, small device that’s ideal for getting into all the tight nooks of your cat’s body. When you need to remove tangles and knots from your cat’s coat, use the pin side, and when you want to soften the coat and make it look refined, then you can turn the brush over to the bristle side, which will also help to distribute your cat’s natural oils throughout the coat.
While the pins are great for getting deep into your cat’s coat, the bristles are actually a little bit too soft. Rather than penetrating at all, they tend to just bend. Even still, they can be useful for grooming the topcoat. To ensure your cat’s skin is always protected, the pins are plastic-tipped. Despite all of these great features, this brush is cheaper than many alternatives that don’t offer nearly the same flexibility.
Pros
- 2-in-1 design with pins and bristles on opposite sides
- Priced affordably
- Detangles and softens hair
- Redistributes natural oils
- Miniature size is ideal for felines
Cons
- The bristles are too soft for proper penetration
2. KONG Cat ZoomGroom Multi-Use Brush – Best Value
The KONG Cat ZoomGroom Multi-Use Brush barely even looks like a brush at all. It’s shaped like a cat with no discernable handle, but somehow, it still manages to offer an ergonomic design that’s comfortable to hold. Rather than metal pins or soft bristles, this brush utilizes soft silicone spikes that massage your cat’s skin while attracting loose hairs for easy removal.
This brush is a great choice for coats of any length. It’s also extremely affordable, making it one of the best cat brushes for the money as far as we’re concerned. This brush is gentle on your cat’s skin and fur while still effectively removing loose hairs to keep shedding under control and prevent a mess in your home. Unfortunately, it’s not the best at removing tangles, knots, or matting, so if you have a longhaired cat with a penchant for getting its coat tangled, you might want to look for something with more aggressive bristles.
Pros
- Gentle on your cat’s skin and fur
- Gently massages your cat while you brush
- Soft rubber fingers attract loose hairs
- Great for short and long coats
- Low price makes it affordable for everyone
Cons
- Not an effective brush for removing matting or tangles
3. Hertzko Self-Cleaning Cat Slicker Brush – Premium Choice
A great grooming brush will hold onto all the loose hair it collects from your cat’s coat, rather than dumping it all over the floor and making a big mess for you to clean up. But getting that fur out of those bristles can prove to be a pain. Luckily, the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Cat Slicker Brush addresses this issue. Instead of spending forever pulling fur out of the bristles, all you have to do with this brush is push the self-cleaning button. When you do, the bristles will retract, allowing all of the hair to be pulled off in a single clump!
Even better, this brush is highly effective at removing the loose fur thanks to bristles that easily penetrate any coat. Despite their effectiveness, these bristles are still gentle on your cat’s skin and won’t cause irritation, pain, or damage. More than just comfortable for your cat, the ergonomic grip on this brush also makes it comfortable for the user.
While you’re grooming, the gentle massaging action of the bristles will help to improve your cat’s circulation. With so many great features, this brush simplifies and speeds up grooming, but it does cost substantially more than your average brush.
Pros
- Self-cleaning design – remove hair with a button push
- Ergonomic grip for user comfort
- Works with coats of any length
- Easily removes tangles and knots
- Massaging action helps to improve your pet’s circulation
Cons
- It’s quite a bit pricier than other grooming brushes
4. FURminator Hair Collection Cat Brush
The FURminator Hair Collection Cat Brush is a unique product that just barely missed earning a spot in our top three. It’s priced affordably, even though it offers excellent performance. But you won’t find any traditional bristles or pins on this brush. Instead, this four-sided brush uses rubber bristles in various lengths, shapes, and configurations to provide multiple ways for you to groom your cat.
Thanks to the diverse selection of rubber nubs, this brush is usable with coats of all lengths and types. It can even be used on wet or dry cats. Since the nubs are rubber, you don’t have to worry about accidentally hurting your cat as sometimes happens with metal pins.
One great thing about this brush is that it can be effectively used for removing pet hair from upholstery, furniture, carpet, and more. Surprisingly, it seems to hold onto fur pretty well for this use but doesn’t want to hold the loose hair as well when pulling it off of your cat. For this use, it tends to simply drop the fur on the floor. The other problem we have with this brush is its weak construction; the handle often snaps where it meets the brush.
Pros
- Low-cost pricing
- Has four sides with different bristles
- Rubber bristles are durable and easy to clean
- Works on all coats
- Can be used wet or dry
- Removes pet hair from upholstery as well
Cons
- Doesn’t hold onto loose hair effectively
- Weak construction – the handle is liable to break
5. HandsON All-In-One Pet Bathing & Grooming Gloves
Grooming gloves offer a more intimate alternative to standard brushes that allows you to pet and love your cat while grooming it. As far as grooming gloves go, we think the HandsON All-In-One gloves are some of the best available. They come in multiple sizes to find the perfect fit that won’t slip or fall from your hand like a brush. Since you don’t have to grip anything, they help to reduce hand fatigue, making grooming more enjoyable.
While you’re grooming, the nubs on these gloves will gently massage your pet’s skin. The soft nubs are surprisingly effective at holding onto hair, making these gloves a great de-shedding tool. But the nubs aren’t long enough to really penetrate your cat’s coat. Long-haired cats will suffer most since these gloves will have a hard time removing mats and tangles. Undercoats will be nearly untouched.
The best thing about these gloves is that they allow you to strengthen your bond with your cat while grooming. Your cat will likely learn to look forward to grooming with these gloves. But they are a lot pricier than a regular brush, which you’ll still likely need to purchase in order to de-tangle your cat’s coat.
Pros
- Reduces hand fatigue
- Won’t slip from your grip
- Promotes bonding between pet and owner
- Massages while grooming
- Works well as a de-shedder
Cons
- More expensive than other grooming tools
- Nubs aren’t long enough for adequate penetration
6. Safari Bristle Cat Brush
Basic and affordable, the Safari Bristle Cat Brush is an ordinary grooming brush through and through. In fact, there’s really nothing special about it at all, but it’s still an effective tool at a cheap price, which is why it still earns a spot on this list. Nylon bristles on this brush are soft enough to contour to your cat’s body. They’re gentle on soft and sensitive skin, helping to distribute natural oils throughout the coat while simultaneously stimulating their production.
While this brush is great for working on your cat’s topcoat and making it look nice, the soft bristles don’t penetrate into the undercoat. Furthermore, they’re too soft to remove tangles or knots. Unfortunately, they also don’t seem to hold onto hair very well, simply dropping it on the ground instead. It’s an average brush in every respect. There’s nothing particularly attractive about this brush, but it’s also not going to be a major disappointment if it’s the only brush available.
Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Nylon bristles contour to your cat’s body
- Soft on sensitive skin
- Helps to distribute and stimulates the production of natural oils
Cons
- Doesn’t pick up loose hair
- Not great for removing tangles and knots
7. JW Pet Gripsoft Cat Slicker Brush
The JW Pet Gripsoft Cat Slicker Brush is designed to be equally comfortable for users and pets alike. It features an ergonomic handle design that’s sheathed in rubber to provide comfort for the groomer, while angled pins remain gentle on your cat’s skin. Soft enough to prevent damage, the pins are still firm enough to remove tangles and mats from your cat’s coat.
This brush is effective with cats of any breed sporting any coat from ultra-short to long and messy. But it’s definitely not the best brush for cats that shed an exorbitant amount. Even though you can clearly see the many metal pins that make up this brush, they don’t seem to hold onto hair like most of the slicker brushes we’ve seen. Instead, this brush has the common flaw of simply dropping loose hairs onto the floor for you to sweep up. At least it’s priced reasonably for what it is!
Pros
- Gentle enough for daily use – even on sensitive skin
- Comfortable and ergonomic handle
- Works with all breeds and coats
- Pricing is reasonable
Cons
- Not ideal for heavy-shedding felines
- Doesn’t grab and hold hair, just drops it on the floor
8. Li’l Pals Coated Tips Cat Slicker Brush
If your cat’s coat is constantly tangled and matted, then the Li’l Pals Coated Tips Cat Slicker Brush might help to remove them. It’s covered in flexible pins that contour to your cat’s body. These pins are even plastic-tipped to ensure they’re never painful or harmful, even on sensitive skin. When brushing, they’ll help to detangle fur quickly, even massaging the skin in the process. But the bristles are too far apart, which reduces the brush’s ability to work out those intense knots.
For cats with coats that shed a lot, a second brush might be necessary, strictly for the removal of loose hair. This brush simply isn’t effective at removing loose hairs. However, its small size is ideal for cats and can be worked into all the tighter areas of a cat’s body without any problem. While it’s certainly not our top choice, this is still a decent grooming brush for removing light tangles and knots.
Pros
- Flexible pins contour to the body
- Bristles are tipped in plastic for protection
- Detangles fur quickly while massaging the skin
- Small size easily maneuvers around a cat’s body
Cons
- Doesn’t seem to collect fur
- Bristles are spread too far apart
9. Safari Complete Cat Brush
The Safari Complete Cat Brush aims to offer a 2-in-1 solution, acting as both a bristle brush and a slicker simultaneously. Disappointingly, it fails in both categories, which is why it’s so low on our list. The bristles are too soft to do any good. Rather, they seem to simply inhibit the bristles from penetrating the coat, so cats with undercoats will get very little out of this brush. Regardless of whether your cat has a short coat or long, this brush is going to offer sub-par performance.
On the bright side, this brush is an ideal size for use on cats. It’s small enough to fit into all the tight spaces on your cat without seeming to be minuscule. But regular brushes that opt for either bristles or slicker pins tend to be far more effective, and we’d recommend skipping this brush in favor of something simpler that does what it’s supposed to.
Pros
- Acts as a slicker and bristle brush simultaneously
- Small size is ideal for maneuvering around a cat’s body
Cons
- Fails to penetrate the fur
- Regular brushes tend to be more effective
- Sub-par performance on long and short coats
10. Mr. Peanut’s Right-Handed Grooming Glove Pet Brush
We’re actually fans of grooming gloves, but Mr. Peanut’s Right-Handed Grooming Glove Pet Brush is one that didn’t impress us. It features a uniform set of soft silicone nubs that do seem to work out tangles and knots, but only in the topcoat. Since they’re such small nubs, they don’t penetrate enough for grooming undercoats or longhaired cats. This glove tends to remove loose hair from the coat sufficiently well. However, it doesn’t hold onto the hair, dropping it at your feet instead.
One big drawback to this glove is the size. It’s large and cumbersome, which makes it quite intimidating for many cats. Plus, left-handed people are out of luck with this glove since it’s designed just for righties. Overall, it’s more of a disappointment than anything, which is why this grooming glove rounds out the very bottom of our list.
Pros
- Soft silicone nubs work out tangles and knots
Cons
- Lefties are out of luck
- Nubs aren’t long enough for proper penetration
- Pulls hair from the coat but drops it on the floor
- Many cats are averse to the glove
Buyer’s Guide
One way to choose a grooming brush is to read our reviews and take our recommendations to heart. But if you want to know even more about grooming brushes so you can make a more informed decision, then this short buyer’s guide was written for you. It contains the information you need to narrow down the choices and understand exactly what you’re looking for in a grooming brush for cats.
Types of Cat Grooming Brushes
All grooming brushes are designed to help you groom your cat’s coat; that part seems obvious. Less obvious is what each type of brush is meant for. As you read through our reviews, you likely noticed that we covered several different types of brushes. While all of them are effective options, they’re not all suited for the same tasks.
Pins
Pin brushes feature long, hard bristles that resemble pins. These are different from the thin wire pins found on a slicker brush. The pins on a pin brush are much longer, intended to penetrate deep into the coat to remove tangles and knots. These are great brushes for daily grooming. They’re ideal for cats with longer coats, but the pins might be too long for short-coated cats.
Bristles
Bristle brushes are perfect for cats with short coats. Often, these cats will only need grooming with a bristle brush. Of course, these brushes are also useful for cats with longer coats. They’re perfect as finishing brushes, leaving the coat silky, smooth, and shiny since the bristles help to distribute your cat’s natural oils through its fur to keep everything healthy and vibrant.
Slicker
Slicker brushes are useful for every type of coat. They utilize short, thin pins made of wire that contour to your cat’s coat. Often, they’re tipped with plastic to prevent harm. These are the perfect brushes to get rid of tangles and knots while also removing loose and dead hair. If you could have just one grooming brush, a slicker is probably your best bet since it’s a sufficient performer in all areas.
Rubber or Silicone Nubs
Many grooming tools now utilize rubber or silicone spikes/nubs instead of bristles or pins. These are softer on a cat’s skin and coat, gently massaging them while you groom. The rubber often attracts loose hair, holding onto it and pulling it from your cat’s coat. Many of these brushes feature multiple styles of nubs in various patterns, which means that a single brush of this type is often applicable for multiple uses.
Glove
Gloves are convenient and comfortable. They stay on your hand, so you don’t need to squeeze onto a brush handle. Your hands are less likely to get fatigued while using a grooming glove. Plus, they allow you to touch and pet your cat while grooming it, which can help to enhance the bond between you. But many grooming gloves are large and cumbersome, which can make them intimidating for your cat, creating a deterrent to grooming.
Conclusion
Hopefully, our reviews have made it easier to pick a grooming brush to use on your cat. Our favorite is the Frisco Cat Combo Mini Brush, offering a two-in-one design that features pins on one side and bristles on the other. We think the KONG Cat ZoomGroom Multi-Use Brush is the best value to be found, with soft silicone spikes that penetrate any coat but are still gentle on your cat’s fur and skin. The Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker makes grooming fast and easy with push-button fur removal and bristles that penetrate any coat to collect the loose hairs.
An avid outdoorsman, Dean spends much of his time adventuring through the diverse terrain of the southwest United States with his closest companion, his dog, Gohan. He gains experience on a full-time journey of exploration. For Dean, few passions lie closer to his heart than learning. An apt researcher and reader, he loves to investigate interesting topics such as history, economics, relationships, pets, politics, and more.
