Best Cat Brushes
Cats shed — a lot. The right brush cuts the fur floating around your house, prevents painful mats, and becomes bonding time instead of a battle. These are the brushes that remove the undercoat without scratching skin, tested on long-haired and short-haired cats.
How to choose a cat brush
- Short hair: a rubber or silicone brush removes loose hair and doubles as a massage.
- Long hair: a wide-tooth comb or de-shedding tool reaches the undercoat and prevents mats.
- Sensitive cats: self-cleaning slickers with rounded pins are gentler than sharp wire combs.
- Frequency: daily for longhairs in shedding season; weekly is plenty for shorthairs.
1. Best all-round de-shedder: Bugalugs Deshedding Brush
~£14
A wide, shallow-tooth de-shedding brush that works on cats, dogs and even horses. The rounded stainless teeth reach the undercoat and pull out loose fur without scratching the skin, and the wide head clears a big area fast. The brush that stops tumbleweeds of fur drifting across your floor.
2. Best self-cleaning slicker: Hertzko Slicker Brush
~£12
A slicker brush with rounded, angled pins that glide through tangles, plus a retractable head that flicks the fur out in one push — no more picking hair out of the bristles. Gentle enough for sensitive cats and brilliant for removing the loose topcoat before the de-shedder gets to work.
3. Best for mats: Laadi De-Shedding Tool
~£13
A stainless de-shedding tool with a comfortable handle that removes up to 95% of loose fur in minutes, including stubborn undercoat that causes mats. The blade is curved to follow the body and won't cut the topcoat when used at the right angle. The go-to for long-haired cats in spring shed.
4. Best gentle option: Pecute Self-Cleaning Grooming Comb
~£11
A 135° angled self-cleaning comb with rounded pins that's gentle on cats who hate grooming. The angle reaches awkward spots like the chest and belly without twisting your wrist, and the release button clears hair instantly. Perfect for nervous or sensitive cats that need a soft start.
Bottom line
Start with the Hertzko slicker to lift loose topcoat, then the Bugalugs or Laadi to pull the undercoat. For a cat that hates being groomed, the Pecute angled comb is the gentlest way in. A 5-minute groom twice a week stops most shedding and matting problems before they start.