5 Best Brushes for Long Haired Cats

After brushing an extra sensitive Maine Coon daily, and earning scratches on my arm, I feel like the best everyday brush is the Hertzko Slicker Brush.

I’ve learned what types and brands make the best brushes for long haired cat. And the best tools should be easy use, effective on fur, and a match for the type of work being done. And remember the most important thing:

Your cat’s long, luxurious fur requires daily or semi-daily grooming. So besides being a useful product, the cat has to accept the brush!

By the way, this is my long haired Maine Coon, Chelle. I definitely got experience and skin in this game – and on her claws 🙂

Let’s talk about those best brushes for long haired cats, then go into detail about their uses.

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Best Slicker Brush for Long Haired Cats

A good daily slicker brush is the first brick in building a solid brushing and grooming routine.

If your cat hates brushing, they will spend their life

• being weighed down
• hot
• constantly hacking up furballs
• totally uncomfortable

This impacts the owner directly, as your long haired cat cat ends up asocial or mean and always eager to attack if being touched.

The Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush is a proper introduction to brushing for any size or age of cat.

This slicker brush features deep, wire bristles set wide apart to work on the dense, ultra fluffy coat yet still reach the undercoat.

Updated To Be One of the Best Brushes for Cats with Sensitive Skin

I think my Maine Coon enjoys this brush, and it ends up a good bonding experience before switching to the finer teeth brushes.

(Below is not me, by the way.)

The original version of this tool will work even if your cat is sensitive to brushing as it’s very low-impact – more of a massage! And you will enjoy the comfort grip handle too.

I’m also happy to report that Hertzko is a brand that listens to feedback, with customers talking about how their extra sensitive pets didn’t respond well to the bare wire bristles.

That’s why Hertzko expanded the product line recently, and now offers an Official Sensitive Skin version with plastic tipped bristles in both a regular and small size.

Many cat owners also expressed wanting a smaller size, which is why you can find this brush in a small size as well!

Every Day Use Cat Brush

To start, you push the button, which reveals the bristles. Then you start brushing.

During my every day use, the immediate loose fur on top and early mats in the undercoat are removed. This light therapeutic brushing also adds volume to the coat, while distributing healthy oils (like from the base of the tail)

After use, you simply press a button, the bristles retract, and the deposited fur falls away from the brush. It’s self cleaning, which is a huge deal to me because…

If you cleaned it with your fingers, the bristles may bend, which changes its angle and could pull on your cats’s fur during use.

To prevent bending while being stored or moved, I leave the bristles retracted all the time. Great feature for your cat’s safety.

A reminder for folks with arthritis or hand pain, there’s no need to hold the button down while to keep the bristles out. You may not have pressed down hard enough to set it, or maybe you received a defective unit.

The Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush is essential to my cat’s grooming and definitely one of the best brushes for long haired cats.

Rating Breakdown:

• Performance: 10/10
• Durability: 10/10
• Ease of Clean Up: 10/10
• Price: 10/10
• Overall Score: 10

What We Liked:

• Comfortable to cats
• Self-cleaning
• Retractable bristles
• Deep bristles reach through coat

What We Didn’t Like:

• Deep bristles occasionally touch skin

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Runner Up Slicker Brush

This is a very good daily slicker brush that my Maine Coon and I have plenty of experience with. This one she used as a kitten, before I switched the one above! So it’s now my runner up pick, but it may be just the one you’re looking for now.

The Safari slicker brush performed similarly to my top pick, and offered the same great functionality:

• widely spaced, deep wire bristles
• self cleaning feature
• easy to hold

and can often be found for cheaper too. It keeps your cat happy and removes loose fur and gets rid of small mats in the undercoat with those deep wires. It distributes natural oils and detangles fur with the best of them.

Great Alternative to the Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush

The Safari is similar to the original Hertzko model, but a bit smaller in terms of brush surface area. This was why it was perfect to use as a kitten.

Now that Hertzko has a small version of their popular brush, is the Safari dead? Absolute not! Besides the size difference, the Safari product stands out with its simple and barebones design.

During my use of this brush, I found it considerably less chunky vs the Hertzko. Which means it’s more nimble and lighter, which means better control and mobility while brushing.

So for those you with hand/joint pain or less than docile cats during brushing time, the skinnier Safari can lead to a better experience or results.

A Classic Cat Brush

There has been no significant product updates to the Safari Self Cleaning Slicker Brush recently, which speaks to its status as one of the best cat brushes.

That being said, Safari offered no options for size or plastic tipped bristles for extra sensitive cats like on the Hertzko.

Coastal Pet Safari does have a reputation for being an old school groomers brand, and this bare bones approach definitely feels like that.

One of the Best Brushes for Cats That Hate Brushing

Finally, tons of users report their cat comes running at the sight of this! If that’s not the ultimate endorsement, not sure what is.

They say their cat loves being brushed by it, and the fact that the pins are not sharp is reassuring.

Rating Breakdown:

• Performance: 9/10
• Durability: 10/10
• Ease of Clean Up: 10/10
• Price: 10/10
• Overall Score: 9.75

What We Liked:

• Nimble and easy to use
• Comfortable handle
• Retractable bristles
• Price

What We Didn’t Like:

• Just 1 size

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Best Deshedding Tool for Long Haired Cats

We move on the next must-have brush in any long haired cat grooming routine: the Furminator Long Haired deshedding brush.

(The model I’m linking to is meant for cats 10 pounds and up, if your cat is less than that, check out the small long-haired version.)

The Furminator, true to its name, features deep, narrow teeth that gets under your cat’s coat and into the undercoat, terminating loose fur that won’t shed by itself.

The teeth on the edge are tight! So I recommend using this after the slicker brush.

Maine Coons, Ragdolls, and other long haired cats shed so much… like so much. Regular (not daily) deshedding of the undercoat

• stops shedding
• prevents hairballs
• reduces mats
• removes tangles before they even begin to form

The Perfect Name

The American-made Furminator is the best tool for the job. It’s amazing.

The Furminator 100% removes the most fur per swipe of any tool reviewed on this list. After testing, I found there is no comparison.

This tool is a must have during molting time in Spring and Autumn when your cat sheds the most, where I can literally brush and brush until there’s enough fur construct two or more regular cats! So much fur!

Deshedding Benefits

It even gets the fine hair that slicker brushes and rakes just miss. What does this mean for your home? It means you won’t find fur:

• in your carpet
• on pillows
• on clothing
• blowing by like tumbleweeds
• flaring up allergies
• in the form of furballs Fluffy hacked up overnight… that you just stepped on
• basically everywhere and taking over your house.

And Fluffy will love you for it, since it must be sweltering with the excess fur weighing her down.

Vs Other Deshedding Brushes

Like the other brushes, the Furminator deShedding Brush is also self-cleaning, ejecting fur with a push of a button.

The made in the USA quality is apparent in the solid tines (or teeth) of the brush. Made in China copies are reported to bend easily.

This brings us to the major con of the Furminator, which is the cost. I feel like that is just the price you pay for quality and the brand name.

As a prosumer level cat grooming tool with good heft (it’s 5.4 ounces), it’s so effective you need to be aware of how and how often you are using it on your cat.

This is not a daily brush, more like once or twice a week. Overuse will irritate skin and just remove too much fur.

Rating Breakdown:

• Performance: 10/10
• Durability: 10/10
• Ease of Clean Up: 10/10
• Price: 8/10
• Overall Score: 9.5

What We Liked:

• Removes the most fur, hands down
• High quality construction
• Original brand

What We Didn’t Like:

• Able to be overused easily

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Runner Up Deshedding Brush for Long Haired Cats

This Dakpets deshedding brush is a Furminator alternative, at a cheaper price. The main differences are

• no self cleaning feature
• smaller edge
• lighter weight construction – 5.4 ounces vs 1.6 ounces
• less robust handle
• Performance issues for some cats

Your cat’s dead, loose undercoat are handled by the 4 inch edge and teeth that reaches all the way in there to reduce shedding. This brush still gets consistent praise for how much undercoat it removes with each swipe.

That’s the amazing thing with deshedding…

If you are not doing it regularly, your cat could be suffering. Not so much in pain, but more like constantly irritation or annoyance.

At how weighed down and hot she is! Imagine yourself without a proper shave or haircut. I’d be cranky too. But say your long haired cat really hates brushing because he’s sensitive or not used to it…

Even with a few strokes, every now and then, with this brush will really count as the 4 inch edge is quite big (though not as large as the comparable Furminator). This means this is not the tool for kittens.

Performance and Ease of Use

Tons of users report the DakPets deshedding brush is really smooth, with action does not pull skin, yet gets out undercoat by the handfuls.

So the Dakpets does have the performance, is it comfortable to use? Yes, for us humans, it’s ergonomic and light with a large non-slip rubber handle. Some users did complain about the handle not being secure on their item.

Vs Other Deshedding Tools

The cons here mainly involve performance and build quality comparisons to the Furminator.

The main pro is that the Dakpets is about half the price with most of the deshedding capability. Is that worth cleaning the edge yourself or dealing with the other things above? Only you can answer that!

In conclusion, the Dakpets Deshedding Brush is for sure one of the best brushes for long haired cats and a reliable alternative to the Furminator.

Rating Breakdown:

• Performance: 8/10
• Durability: 8/10
• Ease of Clean Up: 8/10
• Price: 10/10
• Overall Score: 8.5

What We Liked:

• Effective
• Alternative to Furminator
• Price

What We Didn’t Like:

• Need to remove fur from teeth manually
• Build quality

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Best Dematting Comb for Cats

All long haired cats cats develop mats at some point.

Despite diligent daily slicker brush use and deshedding a few times a week, there will be times when inspecting their fur you feel a little knot. The common places are the arm pits, their neck ruff, or belly.

Trying to unravel it with the other brushes is just bad news because it’ll pull on your cat’s skin, and your hands very quickly will be destroyed.

The Original Dematting Tool

You need the often imitated, never duplicated GoPets Dematting Brush, definitely one of the best dematting tools for cats – long haired or not.

Like the Furminator, this is the original and best quality dematting brushes for cats. It’s solidly built to professional standards, but for the home market. There is nothing else on my list that does what this can.

How Does It Work?

Very simply, it is two sided brush. One side does an okay job at daily brushing like a slicker, and the other is decent at deshedding.

But the main selling point of a dematting tool is that the teeth are slightly sharpened and can cut through hair- like mats and tangles!

You gently work whatever side through the mat or tangle, utilizing the sharp edge to thin, shear, or cut away the mess. No force is needed, but some time may be needed. And “may” is the operative word.

Some tangles and mats are larger or closer to the skin and so require more sessions and brushings to clear.

The two sides of the dematting tool for cats have different number of teeth, either wider or more narrow, to accommodate all pets and their level of tolerance to being dematted.

And for those concerned with cutting Fluffy’s skin, don’t fret because the edges are rounded! It won’t hurt your cat despite appearances.

Vs Other Dematting Brushes

Compared to other dematting brushes, the GoPets is more expensive, but better at actually dematting because there’s literally more tines on that both sides (12 and 23 blades) that do the work.

It’s also designed in America, and produced in China vs other products being wholly from China. The other big thing about GoPets is the 100% satisfaction guarantee, a mark of a solid company doing it right!

One consistent complaint though, was about the handle. Many purchasers said it would leak gel and cause a mess.

Overall, the GoPets Dematting Brush truly is one of the best brushes for long haired cats with regard to dematting. If this cannot handle it, you need to book a professional appointment for a shave.

Rating Breakdown:

• Performance: 10/10
• Durability: 7/10
• Ease of Clean Up: 10/10
• Price: 8/10
• Overall Score: 8.75

What We Liked:

• High quality construction
• Multi purpose use
• Relatively easy to use
• Good for thinning, shearing, cutting

What We Didn’t Like:

• Handle gets gummy

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Start a Routine with a Slicker Brush For Cats

A brushing routine starts with a daily slicker brush. It keep your long haired cat’s coat looking lush and removing loose hair, dirt, oil, debris, and dander. This is essential cat care.

The bristles should be wide enough apart not to be threatening or pull on potential mats or knots. But also tight enough to actually sort through the fur and remove unwanted stuff.

Fight Matted Fur with a Dematting Comb for Cats

But that’s only the surface level! Sometimes your cat develops matted fur no matter how diligent you are in daily brushing.

Matted fur pulls the skin of your cat and is painful – it’s best to take care of it immediately.

In these situations, you’d employ other types of tools, like a dematting brush. Instead of bristles, these have angled teeth designed to work through matted fur and tangles.

When those fail at home, it’s time for an appointment with a groomer for professional work. For some cases, a shave may be what is needed.

Address the Undercoat with a Deshedding Brush for Cats

To help the fur situation before it escalates to a severe, painful mat, use a deshedding brush.

Your long haired cat’s fur most likely has two coats, the regular coat and an undercoat. During season changes, this undercoat sheds a lot!

The best deshedding tool for cats should remove the undercoat, since it may not shed completely by itself.

This then prevents them from swallowing too much of their loose fur as they self-groom. This prevents hairballs, the bane of many cat owners and carpets alike.

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FAQ

How often should you brush a long haired cat?

Daily or semi daily brushing is fine using a nice slicker brush or whatever low impact brush your cat prefers. Remember to make it enjoyable for him! The slicker brushes can easily be one of the best cat brushes for long haired cats.

You can ply them with snacks and encouragement to like brushing. Then once or twice a week, use the deshedding tool after the slicker.

At that time, if you feel any matts or tangles, you can use the dematting brush or tool.

Regular brushing of some sort is must!

How do you brush a long haired cat?

Start with the slicker brush, one of the best brushes for long haired cats, in small strokes, working on a bit of fur at a time. Brush in the direction of the hair growth and be gentle

If you’ve trained your cat to enjoy brushing, they will come to you when you break out the slicker brush!

Deshedding with a tool like the Furminator can be a bit more high impact and they may protest a bit, but it’s essential particularly during summer and hotter seasons.

Do not go over the same area too much though since it irritates the skin. Consistency beats intense sessions.

Feel for any matts or tangles if there are any. Then work through them best you can gently and use a separate dematting brush to shear or thin them if necessary.

How do you deshed a long haired cat?

All cats will shed and will not stop.

It’s up to the owner to take care of this, doing preventative maintenance in the form of daily brushing and regular deshedding. Any of our best brushes for long haired cats will do.

A deshedding tool like the Furminator or the Dakpets brush removes up to 90-95% of loose undercoat before they are shed (or swallowed, and later hacked up on your carpet).

Why does my cat hate being brushed?

Your cat hates being brushed because they have a mat or tangle and it’s painful, or they are just not used to it.

It’s pulling on their skin and causing irritation and bad mood. If you stroke or pet them and they bite, you probably contacted the affected area.

Try working through it with one of the above brushes, like the dematting brush. Or call a professional groomer.