The Best Cat Brushes for 2024: For Healthy and Beautifully Groomed Cats

Cats are excessively obsessive when it comes to grooming themselves. In fact, they spend up to half of their waking hours doing it, and this is just normal behavior to them. Cats do this to remove loose debris from their coats such as dirt and dander.

But this much self-grooming doesn’t mean we shouldn’t brush them anymore, which brings us to why I wrote an article and review of the best cat brushes to use.

Yes. Despite a cat’s constant grooming, it’s not enough to prevent tangles and mats from forming. A grooming tool like a cat brush is essential for cats with either short or long hair.

Regular brushing also lessens the number of loose hairs that your cat sheds. Plus, the less loose hair he has, the chances of your cat hacking up hairballs is reduced.

Brushing also encourages good blood circulation in your cat, and it stimulates the production of natural oils on your cat’s skin, resulting in lubricated and healthy skin and fur.

Sometimes, people also use brushing time to search their cats for ticks and other parasites, wounds, and skin problems. But the best thing about brushing your cat is the time you spend with him to forge a better bond.

Professional groomers are often expensive, so unless you want to spend a lot of money on professional grooming sessions for your cat, brushing regularly at home is your best bet.

Top Cat Brushes for 2024

Best Cat Brushes

1. GoPets Double-Sided Brush
2. True Touch Pet Hair Remover Mitt
3. Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush
4. Mars Coat King Boar Bristle Brush
5. Andis Premium Pin Brush
6. KONG Zoom Groom Deshedding Tool

To give you an idea of what to look for when choosing a cat brush, I featured some of the best cat brushes available in the market. I included a rundown of their features, pros, and cons as a guide to help you choose the best cat brush for your feline companion.

1. GoPets Double-Sided Brush

An excellent grooming tool for cats of all hair types, the bristles penetrate deep into the cat’s coat to eliminate mats and tangles without scratching the skin.

Features:

• Pin and bristle
• Rounded ends on the pins for comfy brushing
• Non-slip silicone handle
• Measures 9.5” x 3” x 2.5”
• Weighs 8 ounces
• Best for short to long-haired cats
• Nylon bristles and metal pins

What I like about it:

This grooming brush has a nice handle that’s made of silicone gel. It contours to your hand, making it easy to hold, and the handle is large enough to feel comfortable for people with big hands.

The pin brush side has rounded ends (molded into the metal to keep it from falling off), so as not to scratch the delicate skin of your cat, while ventilation holes are cut into the brush to help it follow the shape of your pet’s body better. The pins grab the brush extremely well, and they don’t collapse into the support cushion despite lots of frequent use.

The nylon bristles are densely-packed and firm, yet soft. But what I like best about this buy is the satisfaction guarantee each purchase comes with. The brand can either offer you a refund or a replacement tool if the product doesn’t work out. GoPets also donates a portion of each sale to animal shelters and charities, so it’s a win-win for all.

What needs a bit of improvement:

While the silicone handle offers an extremely comfy grip, it also has a risk of leaking. Inside the handle is a gel-like substance that can easily leak out in case your cat ever tries to bite or scratch it. The substance also doesn’t come off in case your clothing, sofa, or sheets become stained.

2. True Touch Pet Hair Remover Mitt

Make grooming fun for cats by using this mitt that doubles as a petting accessory.

Features:

• Mitt groomer
• Adjustable fit for pet owners (one size fits all)
• Slip-on gloves with soft rubber tips
• Machine washable
• Offered in left-hand, right-hand, and 2-in-1 glove varieties
• Lightweight and breathable
• Best for cats with long and short hair

What I like about it:

This grooming glove works excellently as it picks up a lot of loose furs. You’ll be surprised at the pile of cat’s fur that you amass at the end of each grooming session. It’s perfect whether your cat likes a light massage or a good hard rub.

The True Touch glove hand itself is a men’s medium size, but if you have smaller hands, there are adjustable straps made of velcro at the wrist that fit most sizes. One of the best parts about this brush is that there are nubs throughout the palm and fingers of the hand. If you wanted to de-shed small areas of your cat’s body, such as the cheeks and under the chin, you can use the nubs on your fingers to groom him.

The mitt is machine washable, so you can just pop it in the wash after grooming. You can use the mitt dry or wet. Best of all, it comes with a 12-month warranty and satisfaction guarantee.

What needs a bit of improvement:

Although it works amazingly well for cats with long hair, this deshedding tool doesn’t work as well for short-haired ones. It does take off a good amount of loose hairs from your cat, but not as much as you’d like. It’s also a bit cumbersome to remove the fur off the glove, and it seems much messier than using traditional cat brushes.

3. Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush

This slicker grooming brush with a self-cleaning feature will gently remove mats, dead hair, and dirt and dander from off your cat.

Features:

• Fine bent wires for bristles
• Retractable bristles for easy cleaning
• Has a one-click button for retracting and extending bristles
• Comfort grip handles to prevent hand strain
• Best for cats with short to long and thick coats
• eco-friendly

What I like about it:

This brush for cats is so easy to use! Just press a button, and the bristles extend out. Brush your cat’s coat, press the same button again, and ta-dah! — all loose fur on the brush comes off. This is probably the best cat brush to use when you dread cleaning your brushes off.

It feels more user-friendly because of its anti-slip and ergonomic handle. It also doesn’t pull on the cat’s skin, which is a big plus. A happy cat equals happy, peaceful life. (Ever dealt with an annoyed cat? Trust me. You don’t want to.)

The fine wire pins of the bristles don’t scratch the skin, but they do their function well because you’ll be surprised at the decent amount of shed loose hairs you’ll get. This is a terrific deshedding tool as well as a great device for preventing mats and tangles from forming.

What needs a bit of improvement:

Brush your cat’s coat with this if he has a thick undercoat. Otherwise, it would be best to use another tool or be utterly gentle when using this on a cat with a thin coat because the metal can feel a little too sharp for your cat.

4. Mars Coat King Boar Bristle Brush

Professional-grade grooming brush for cats for effectively preventing mats and knots.

Features:

• Uses natural boar bristles
• Beechwood handle
• Measures 7.25” in length with a 2” wide head
• Length of bristles is 3/4“
• Best for use on cats with short or fine hair or for cats with long hair for shine
• Made in Germany

What I like about it:

This bristle brush is simply made yet does the job so well. The bristles are soft and won’t irritate even broken skin, but it’s firm enough to remove loose fur.

It doesn’t remove mats that much, but regular use will help prevent one from forming. It leaves the coat shiny and lustrously silky. Plus, it feels so good that your cat will simply love rubbing his body and face on this.

This tool is probably the best purchase if you want shiny fur and an enormously pleased cat. It’s better than catnip. And I think the beautiful beech wood with nutwood varnishing deserves some praise and mention.

What needs a bit of improvement:

This is not the best cat tool to use if you need to untangle mats, or your cat sheds a whole lot. This is more for maintaining a healthy sheen on the fur and removing some loose hairs.

5. Andis Premium Pin Brush

This grooming tool will remove loose hairs and mats from your cats while stimulating hair follicles.

Features:

• Pinhead bristles
• Soft-Grip handle for hand fatigue reduction
• Soft pins with rounded ends to prevent scratching the skin
• Best for cats with thick coats and long hair

What I like about it:

This pin brush is a great grooming solution to help remove loose hairs from cats with thick coats. This tool works to loosen mats, making it easier to take them out. It takes all of the snarls out while keeping the coat shiny and the fur fluffy.

The bristles stay put and don’t collapse inside the pin’s cushion. The ergonomic grip handle is sturdy and fits well inside the hand.

You won’t believe how much hair it combs out. The long bristles go all the way down to the hair’s roots. This is best used for cats with hair that mats and tangles easily. And because of its large size, the brush holds that much more fur.

What needs a bit of improvement:

While it is effective, this brush by Adis can be too big for most cats. It’s geared more towards big dogs, but Maine Coons and other big cats can benefit from this. Best not to use for small to average-sized cats as the bulky brush head does not contour well to little bodies.

6. KONG Zoom Groom Deshedding Tool

A fun rubber brush for cats with an easy-grip handle for preventing mats from forming.

Features:

• Made of rubber
• Rubber teeth measure 3/4“ in length
• Soft rubber nubs for comfortable brushing
• Best for cats with short to long fur and thin to thick coats

What I like about it:

It sure doesn’t look it, but this is an exceptionally functional grooming tool that will take loads of fur balls from off your cat, enough to form a good-sized kitten. Because it takes so much loose hair off, the amount of shed fur on your furniture is reduced.

This is the best cat de-shedding brush for your senior cats because its rubber teeth are so soft that they won’t cause any discomfort at all. You can use this to groom your cat’s coat in sensitive areas like his belly and neck and not have to worry about hurting his skin.

Watch your cats run towards you every coat brushing time because the Zoom Groom also works as a massage. The best part of this is how absolutely affordably-priced it is.

What needs a bit of improvement:

The fur doesn’t stick to the Zoom Groom at all. What happens whenever you use it is that the fur either accumulates on one end of your cat’s body, or they fly off everywhere and will stick to furniture and clothes. It’s a nightmare because of the amount of vacuuming and cleaning up you’ll have to do after.

How Often Do You Have To Brush a Cat?

What Kind of Brush is Best for Cats?

The best brush or brushes for your cat depends on his breed, as well as the length and texture of your cat’s coat. It can vary vastly. The best cat tool for one may not turn out to be the best for another.

Let’s take a look at the different types of cat brushes and what each is suited for.

1. Slicker Brushes

Slicker brushes are wide-faced brushes that are typically rectangular-shaped and made of stainless steel or other metal. The stainless steel tines are packed tightly together for preventing matting and removing tangles and knots. They’re one of the most basic grooming tools because they’re suitable for cats of all hair and coat types. They’re also recommended for cats that shed a lot.

One thing to look out for when using slicker brushes is the amount of pressure you exert on the brush as you glide it across your cat’s hair. Be careful not to brush too hard as you can break your cat’s skin. Gentle pressure is also best to ensure that you don’t cause any hair breakages.

2. Bristle Brushes

Bristle brushes look a lot like those we cat owners use on our own hair. These cat brushes have soft bristles that smooth the hair of short-haired cats while acting as a finishing brush for cats with long or thick fur. These are great for creating shine for all types of cat hair as they help distribute natural oils evenly.

3. Pin Brushes

Pin brushes have pins on the head of the brush that are excellent for untangling knots. These can be made of plastic, stainless steel, or other types of metal. Medium to long-haired cats, as well as felines with thick or woolly coats, will benefit a lot from these because they’re great at making coats look neat.

4. Dual-Sided Brushes

Double-sided brushes for cats simply combine the pin and bristle brushes into one, with each side featuring one kind of brush. These are extremely convenient brushes when it comes to cat grooming.

5. Mitt Brushes

Mitt brushes are typically gloves with nubs for your hand. The side that is over your palm is fitted with soft teeth for removing loose hairs, dirt, and dander. When you use a mitt brush, your cat usually does not know the difference between being brushed and being petted.

Bonus: Other Grooming Tools to Have in your Kitty Arsenal

This article is focused on brushes, but here’s a brief overview of other grooming solutions you can use to keep your cat’s coat looking neat and presentable.

1. Flea comb – Flea combs work to remove fleas and their eggs from off your cat’s fur.

2. Grooming comb – Has large spaced metal teeth for gently untangling knots and clumps.

3. FURminator – This is actually the name of a brand that’s become synonymous with a type of cat deshedding tool that removes both loose undercoat and topcoat hair. It has stainless steel deshedding edge bristles that won’t pull or scratch the skin.

Tips For Brushing Your Cat

While brushing in itself is a great way to help your cat remove dirt, dust, loose hair, mats, and more from his fur as well as keep his coat nice and neat, you have to make sure you are doing it right. Here are a few tips to ensure you are giving your cat the best possible grooming:

1. Use the right tool. The best cat brushes are those that are specific for your cat’s hair length and texture. Otherwise, they’re not going to be able to help your cat much.

2. Work along the natural direction of your cat’s fur. If you go against the grain, the tendency is to pull the hair more, which can hurt the cat. So brush with your cat’s coat, but you can use a blower to go against the coat to remove loose hair.

3. If brushing doesn’t work to remove mats, it may be time to take your cat to a professional groomer. Do not try to remove those stubborn tangles by yourself, or you risk your cat getting hurt, which in turn might turn him off the grooming experience altogether.