In this post, we discuss Cat Grooming Tools for Long Haired Cats. Long-haired cats usually need a little more help grooming themselves than regular cats. Our fussy Persian cat, who prided in her grooming skills would not allow us to groom her.
One day we discovered horrible matting in her fur and that’s when we realized long-haired cats need help with grooming… even if they don’t want it.
Cat Grooming Tools for Long Haired Cats include
- Metal hair comb
- Fine-toothed combs
- Detangling
- Deshedding combs
- Coconut oil or any Hair oil
- Shedding blades
- Furminators
- Brushes with angled pins
The brush you select for a cat will differ based on your cat. One cat might love a brush, while another cat (even from the same breed) will hate it.
So, the only science to getting the best brush for your long-haired cat is, buy one, try it on your fur pet, and allow your cat to decide.
As a cat parent, you must be aware by now how temperamental cats are and they decide what they want. So any use of willpower is an exercise doomed to fail.
How do you groom a long-haired cat?
Long-haired cats have to be helped with their grooming. The older the cat gets, the more help it will require.
Get in the habit of a daily groom for your cat. The younger you begin the better. A 5 to 10-minute brush every day will help you stay on top of this grooming game.
If the cat hates to be groomed – rub the scent of the cat on the brush, show the cat brush, and then reward with a treat. Cats love familiar objects, especially something which already has their smell on it.
Start by using the brush with soft pins. These are gentle on a cat’s skin, they are perfect for daily brushing … and most importantly MOST cats approve of it.
While grooming you might notice a matt or two.
This is quite natural considering they have such long fur.
Cats’ fur can get matted when it gets wet and isn’t dried off quickly. This could also be maybe because the cat had been sick and couldn’t get to grooming herself or the cat is overweight.
Older cats get matted more, so do cats battling with arthritis. You will notice matts on their back and hips.
If you do notice a matt, grab a metal comb and gently try to comb out the matt.
Metal combs are good for small matts. Usually, they have wide teeth and can help gently detangle small matts. Hold the fur below the matt and separate tangled fur.
Next, you can use a detangling brush that has two types of teeth and get to both the overcoat and undercoat.
Once in a week or maybe twice a month use a de-shedding comb such as the furminator to get the long fur out.
Daily grooming is the best way to keep your cat’s fur healthy, shiny and avoid mats, hair fall, itchy flaky skin in cats.
What kind of brush is best for long-haired cats?
The best brush is the brush your cat approves. If your cat loves grooming, she might let you use almost any brush. Picky cats will not let you use any brush which tends to pull on the skin. This is hurtful, especially for sensitive skin.
Find a brush that is gentle, does not irritate or scratch the skin. Find a brush that lets you brush through the overcoat and undercoat easily.
Why vets do not recommend cutting cats fur
It might be tempting to cut the fur very short also known as a summer cut. Here is why you shouldn’t go for that.
Shaving a cat’s fur too short you risk the cat getting sunburned. This is especially true for outdoor cats. Also, cats don’t have sweat glands all over the body and this fur is helping them maintain their temperature.
If your cat gets wet or in colder temperatures it can easily get hypothermic. So leave their fur as is. Give them daily brushes, check for matts while you brush, and once in a while grab the deshedder and remove excess fur.
Cat Grooming Tools for Long Haired Cats
Some combs which can help you with grooming. You might consider owning more than one kind of brush as each serves a different purpose.
We have tried to find out some major issues long-haired cats deal with and have tried to suggest a grooming brush for that.
Fine toothed comb
This comb is essential in your grooming toolkit. Keep these handy in spots where you tend to sit and relax often. When the cat jumps onto your lap, comb through.
Fine toothed combs will help smoothen out the fur and catch the occasional flea. Coming to fleas here is a cool tip.
Rub a few drops of coconut oil on your cat’s fur and comb through using fine-toothed combs.
Fleas hate coconut oil and detach from the cat’s skin. You can get them easily.
Shedding Blade
Cats typically shed all through the year. Long-haired cats tend to shed less than the short-haired ones.
They also shed more in summer, yet if your cat is exposed to natural light most of the day, they tend to shed throughout the year.
Typically grooming often will help balance this out and keep cats fur healthy.
A shedding blade is a great asset as it helps to remove the dead, loose fur.
It generally works on the overcoat. There are multi-directional ones available which can help even if your cat keeps moving around.
Detangling Comb
The purpose of this comb is to get to both the undercoat and overcoat as it has two sets of teeth. Get one that has rounded teeth, as it is gentle on the skin.
De Shedding Combs and Brushes
These brushes can help remove fur. The problem is if you are not careful, it can remove all fur. So use these kinds of brushes wisely, maybe once or twice a month.
Overuse can remove too much healthy fur hence use in moderation. A furminator is a good example of such a brush.
Rake like brushes
These are brushes that resemble and look like miniature rakes.
They usually have stainless steel blades.
Some of these come with a self-cleaning feature and makes maintaining your cat’s fur almost effortless.
Brushes with Rotating Teeth
Do you know this? Rotating teeth brushes can be used to straighten out all the fur and can be used at the end of the grooming process.
You will love such a brush as it makes the fur look all slick and maintained.
This helps remove small mats, detangle fur and help out in the grooming process.
Rubber cat grooming brushes
Many cat parents vouch for these. Cats who enjoy grooming will purr their way through the grooming session.
These are made from gentle rubber.
It helps remove stray loose fur and gives your cat a massage. It is one of those brushes you can use to bond with your cat ( daily … so worth it).
Brushes with soft pins
If you are in a rush having one of these small brushes with soft pins can be super handy.
It also works well for a daily grooming brush. It helps you maintain your grooming schedule, without any hassles. You might consider keeping one handy maybe on a coffee table or near your favorite couch. You never know when the cat stops by.
Brushes with angled pins
What we love about these brushes is that they can easily help get to both the undercoat and overcoat in one session.
It can address tangles, knots, dander as you groom. The massage on the skin helps in blood circulation and can help prevent fatigue and strengthens immunity.
Who would have thought that daily grooming sessions are so important? To accomplish this the tools that you use are crucial. With the right brushes and combs, we can ensure our cats are clean, have better health, and a strong immune system.