How to Choose a Cat Brush

The bottom line first: the right brush isn't the expensive one — it's the one that matches your cat's coat length and that your cat will actually sit still for. A rubber brush alone is often enough for a short-haired cat, while a long-haired cat genuinely needs a steel comb.

Why brushing matters more in summer

Cats spend a large share of their waking hours grooming themselves. The barbs on their tongue work like a comb and rake out loose hair — the catch is that most of that hair gets swallowed. Swallowed hair that collects in the stomach becomes a hairball, which comes back up as vomit or, in bad cases, blocks the digestive tract. Dead hair you've already lifted out with a brush is hair your cat can never swallow, which makes brushing the most basic hairball prevention there is.

Season adds to it. Indoor cats live under artificial light and climate control, so their shedding cycle blurs and they drop a little hair all year round, with heavier losses in spring and autumn. In summer, dead undercoat that stays trapped in the coat blocks airflow, so the heat feels worse, and it can hold damp against the skin in humid weather. It helps to think of brushing not as pulling hair out to cool your cat down, but as lifting out hair that has already shed and is stuck in place, so air can move through. A bonus: running your hands over the whole body every week means you find lumps, scratches and flea dirt early.

Five kinds of brush — the only distinctions you need

Rubber (silicone) brush — soft rubber nubs that grab loose hair off the surface. It's the gentlest option, which makes it the best starting point for cats who dislike brushing, kittens and senior cats. For a short-haired cat this is often all you need. It can't reach deep into the undercoat, though, so it isn't enough on its own for a long coat.
Slicker brush — densely packed fine bent wire pins, effective at lifting undercoat and light tangles. If the pin tips are sharp they can scratch and irritate the skin, so choose a model with rounded or coated tips and sweep lightly with the grain instead of pressing.
Pin brush — widely spaced pins with a rounded bead on each tip. Gentle, and good for smoothing and finishing a long topcoat, but weak at pulling out packed undercoat. A pin that has lost its bead will jab the skin, so check the condition of an older brush.
Steel comb — a row of metal teeth. It's the essential tool for long-haired cats: you use it last, after the other brushes, as an inspection tool that finds the tangles you missed. Models with wide-spaced teeth on one half and fine teeth on the other are the most versatile, and a comb is also what you use on tight areas like the face, behind the ears, and between the toes.
Undercoat rake / deshedding tool — designed to strip out undercoat specifically, and it visibly cuts down how much hair drops during shedding season. But the edge is sharp, so repeatedly going over the same spot can cut topcoat or abrade the skin. Use it briefly, about once a week, and handle routine grooming with a softer brush. Cats with short coats and little undercoat don't need one at all.

A 6-point checklist before you buy

① Start with coat length — short-haired: rubber brush (plus a steel comb if you like). Long-haired: a slicker or pin brush, and a steel comb without exception. Getting this pairing right is half the job.
② Pin tip finish — press a slicker or pin brush against the back of your own hand. If it stings you, it hurts more on your cat's skin.
③ A design that limits pressure — a cushioned backing plate absorbs some of the force when you press too hard. That's especially useful if you're new to grooming and still finding the right touch.
④ Size and grip — cats are smaller than dogs. A compact head handles narrow areas like the face and legs, and a grip that's comfortable on your wrist is one you'll actually use daily.
⑤ Hair removal — a one-button release that pushes trapped hair off the pins makes cleanup much easier. Just note that a button mechanism is one more thing that can break.
⑥ Washing and hygiene — check that the material can be rinsed and dried. Wooden handles don't like water, and a brush left damp through a humid summer can grow mould.

What not to do while brushing

The most common mistake is holding your cat there too long. A tail thumping against the floor or ears flicking back means patience is already running out, so stop before that point and finish with a treat. Don't try to do the whole body in one go — back today, flanks tomorrow is perfectly fine. Many cats are touchy about the belly, the base of the tail and the rear, so leave those for later and start where they already enjoy being stroked, like the back and the back of the neck.

The other rule is light strokes, with the grain. Scrubbing against the grain pulls undercoat out and hurts, and working the same patch over and over can leave the skin red and raw (brush burn). If your cat licks one spot repeatedly after a session, or you see red marks, you were pressing too hard or the tool is wrong for that coat. And if hair loss suddenly increases, if it comes out symmetrically on both sides, or if it comes with dandruff, scabs or intense itching, the brush is not the problem. Skin disease, allergies, parasites and hormonal conditions can all look similar, so see a vet for an accurate diagnosis.

Coat condition also tracks with nutrition. If you're not sure the portion you're feeding is right, check it with our cat food portion calculator, and see Cat Hairballs — Normal vs. Warning Signs for what happens to the hair that does get swallowed.

🛒 Compare Cat Brushes on Coupang

Use the checklist above (coat length, pin tip finish, cushioned backing, head size, hair removal, washability) to choose. Tap the banner to go to Coupang, then search "cat brush" to compare products. (The banner also shows popular pet items.)

As a Coupang Partners affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

How often should I brush my cat?

There is no single right answer, but the usual advice is once or twice a week for short-haired cats and a short daily session for long-haired cats. Increase the frequency during spring and autumn shedding season and through the summer. What matters is short and frequent rather than long and occasional. Finishing in one to three minutes, before your cat gets tired of it, keeps brushing from turning into a bad memory. Long-haired cats especially start to form tangles in high-friction spots such as the armpits and the inside of the hind legs after just a day or two, so a short daily pass ends up being far less work overall.

My cat has a hard, tight mat. Can I brush it out?

If it is an early tangle that separates when you tease it with your fingers, you can hold the skin at the base steady with one hand and work it loose from the tips inward. But do not yank a hard mat that is stuck against the skin with a brush. A cat's skin is far thinner than ours, so it hurts a great deal, and pulling can lift and tear the skin. Cutting a mat out with scissors is also risky, because the skin underneath tents up into the blades more often than people expect. For mats that are already solid, tangles over a wide area, or any mat with red or weeping skin beneath it, have a vet or a professional groomer deal with it.

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This content is general information and does not replace veterinary diagnosis. If you notice hair loss, severe itching or skin lesions, consult a vet for an accurate diagnosis.