For cat owners, it can feel impossible to keep your cat’s hair off of your clothes, furniture, or even your dinner. While you may not be able to completely neutralize the shedding, you can significantly reduce the amount of cat hair your pet leaves around the house by brushing her coat regularly.
If you’ve been searching for a brush for your short hair, you probably already know that there are many options available. In this article, we’ve compiled some of the best brushes out there for short-haired cats. Read our reviews to find the brush that’s right for you and your cat.
The 7 Best Brushes for Short-Haired Cats – Reviews & Top Picks 2021
1. Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush – Best Overall
- Style: Slicker brush
- Material: Wire bristles, rubber anti-slip handle
- Size: 8” x 3” x 10”
- Shape: Rectangle
The Hertzko Self Cleaning Brush is our top pick for short-haired cats. Not only does it feature smooth, fine bristles that provide your cat with a gentle brushing experience without scratching their skin, but it also collects your cat’s hair as it goes. The Hertzko slicker brush also has a button that retracts the bristles, making it easy to release and dispose of all that hair when you’re done. As an added bonus, the retractable feature helps keep the bristles from bending and becoming damaged. Overall, we found this to be a top-notch brush.
Pros
- Good for both short-haired and long-haired cats
- Easy to handle
- Durable
- Retractable bristles make for easy cleaning
2. CeleMoon Ultra-Soft Silicone Washable Cat Brush – Best Value
- Style: Brush
- Material: Silicone
- Size: 8” x 4.5” x 2.5”
- Shape: Oval
The CeleMoon Ultra-Soft Silicone Cat Brush is one of the least expensive brushes on our list. However, cheap doesn’t mean ineffective; this brush has 3,500 positive reviews on Amazon, proving that this product is tried and tested among cat owners. The teeth on this brush are made of silicone, which means there is no chance of scratching your cat. This brush also features a non-slip handle, which means it is easy to grip and makes for a comfortable experience for both you and your pet. The primary downside of this brush is that it does not collect hair in the way that other brushes on this list do. One tip is to get the brush damp before grooming your cat so that the hair will stick to the brush more effectively.
Pros
- Easy to handle
- Easy to wash
- Soft teeth make for a gentler experience
- Affordable
3. FURminator for Cats – Premium Choice
- Style: Rake
- Material: Stainless steel
- Size: 75” x 5.5” x 2.5”
- Shape: Rectangle
If you have a cat that sheds a lot and you are willing to spend a little bit more money on your cat’s brush, the FURminator is a great choice. Reviewers say that this brush is one of the most effective deshedding tools available; this tool has the ability to reduce shedding up to 90%. One of the biggest benefits of this rake-style brush is that it comes in multiple styles and sizes in order to accommodate cats of different sizes and breeds. This model was designed specifically for short-haired cats; choose the small version if your cat is less than 10 pounds or the large version if your cat is more than 10 pounds.
Pros
- Comes in different sizes for varying coat lengths
- Easy to handle
Cons
- Fur ejection button can sometimes get stuck
- Can take a long time to remove fur
4. Mars Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush
- Style: Bristle brush
- Material: Wood handle, boar bristles
- Size: 2” wide
- Shape: Oval
The Mars Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush is a great choice if you only own short-haired cats. The bristles on this brush are very soft, which makes brushing a pleasant experience for your cat. However, if you have long-haired cats or you want to purchase a brush that is capable of catching your cat’s fur as you go, you should probably look at other products; this is not a brush that is capable of collecting fur. In addition, you may find that the bristles are too soft to be effective depending on your cat’s coat. Overall, this brush is great for keeping your cat’s coat healthy, but not to be used universally.
Pros
- Soft, gentle bristles
- Well made
Cons
- Bristles fairly thin; not suitable for thicker coats
5. GoPets Dematting Comb
- Style: Rake
- Material: Silicone gel-filled handle; stainless steel teeth
- Size: 9” x 2.5” x 1.4”
- Shape: Rectangle
If your cat tends to get matted fur, the GoPets Dematting Comb could be a great option for you. The GoPets comb is actually a double-sided tool with 12 teeth on one side and 23 on the other side, giving you options for any type of fur and any size tangle or mat. You can also use the side with the greater number of teeth as a deshedding comb. This rake-style tool doesn’t look much like a comb, but its teeth are rounded on the ends, making it easy to work through mats without hurting or pulling on your kitty’s skin.
Pros
- Easy grip
- Works as both a deshedding and dematting comb
Cons
- Silicone gel handle may leak
- Teeth can dull quickly
6. Mr. Peanut’s Grooming Glove
- Style: Glove
- Material: Silicone rubber & mesh cloth; Velcro strap
- Size: 9” x 6.5”
- Shape: Mitten shape with thumb pocket
If your cat does not enjoy being brushed, a grooming glove could be a great alternative. This glove is made of silicone rubber and comes with a Velcro strap that allows you to adjust the size of the glove as needed. Gloves are very easy to use; all you need to do is put them on and essentially pet your cat. This glove picks up a lot more cat hair and dander than you might expect. You can use this glove for all kinds of coats. One downside is that you may find it difficult to remove your cat’s hair from the glove after you are finished grooming, but the good news is that these gloves are washable.
Pros
- Adjustable sizing
- Good for both short-haired and long-haired cats
- Easy to clean
Cons
- May be too big if you have small hands
- Hair can be difficult to remove after use
7. HandsOn All-in-One Pet Bathing & Grooming Gloves
- Style: Glove
- Material: Surgical grade nitrile, surgical-grade PVC, and nylon
- Size: Multiple sizes available; range between 6”-10.5”
- Shape: Glove – pocket for each finger
The HandsOn All-in-One Pet Bathing and Grooming Glove is another good glove option. These gloves do double duty: they are made for washing your pet in addition to grooming. While you may not wash your cat very often, they are a great option if you have multiple pets, including dogs, that need to be groomed and occasionally need to be washed. The gloves feature rubber nodules that massage your pet and help capture your cat’s hair. While you won’t capture as much hair as other products, these are a great option for glove-averse cats. The material of these gloves also makes them easy to clean once you are done grooming your cat.
Pros
- Efficient and easy
- Good for both short-haired and long-haired cats
Cons
- Nodules can irritate cats if used for too long
- Can’t get as much hair as other products
Buyer’s Guide
Why Brush Your Cat?
If you’ve never brushed your cat before, you may be wondering what the benefits of doing so are. After all, cats are very good self-groomers. Why do cat owners need to worry about grooming their pets?
In addition to helping to prevent shedding, brushing your cat can help remove dirt and dead skin, stimulate your cat’s blood circulation, and overall improve the condition of your cat’s coat and skin. Plus, brushing your cat is a great way for you to bond with your pet!
Types of Cat Brushes
There are several different types of cat deshedding tools you can choose from. Here, we describe each one so that you know what to look for.
Slicker Brushes
Slicker brushes are those with bristles comprised of fine wires lined up on a flat surface. If your cat has tangles or matted fur, these brushes are a great option. However, you need to be careful when using a slicker brush on your cat’s coat so that you don’t scratch her.
Bristle Brushes
Bristle brushes are used to smooth out your cat’s hair and help distribute her natural oils in order to create a healthy-looking coat. If your cat has short hair, you may only need to use a bristle brush. If you also have medium or long-haired cats, you may need to use a bristle brush in combination with other tools to get the results you want.
Rakes
A rake is typically shaped like a T and features pins that help pull out any shedding fur. If you are using one of these tools, make sure not to dig in too much, or you could injure your cat.
Grooming Comb
A grooming comb is used to untangle any knots in your cat’s fur. Long-haired cats need combs with teeth that are more spaced out, whereas short-haired cats require combs with teeth that are closer together.
Dual-Sided Brush
A dual-sided brush is a handy tool that combines both a bristle brush and a fine-toothed brush.
Things to Consider
There are a few things to consider when you are trying to find the right cat brush for your needs. The first, most important thing to consider is the length of your cat’s coat. The recommendations that were made in this guide were made with short-haired cats in mind. If you have a medium or long-haired cat, you will probably need more substantial tools to curb your cat’s shedding and prevent matting.
The other thing you need to think about is your cat’s tolerance for grooming. Deshedding your cat can be a long process, and if your cat doesn’t like the tool you choose, you are never going to be able to get her to sit still long enough for it to be effective. If you know that your cat doesn’t like behind handled or has sensitive skin, you may want to opt for one of the glove styles that will feel more like regular petting than grooming.
Conclusion
You have many choices when it comes to buying a brush for your cat. For the best overall cat brush for short hairs, the Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush is an excellent choice because of its fine bristles and self-cleaning feature. If you’re on a budget we recommend the CeleMoon Ultra-Soft Silicone Washable Cat Brush, but if you’re willing to spend a little bit more, however, go with the FURminator; this highly-rated tool does an excellent job of eliminating shedding. We hope these reviews have been helpful in selecting a brush that works for your pet.
Nicole is the proud mom of Baby, a Burmese cat and Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts’ knowledge with pet lovers across the globe.
