Which Brush Is Right for My Cat's Coat?

The right cat brush depends on the coat. Short-haired cats do well with a metal comb and a rubber brush, once or twice a week. Long-haired cats need a wide-toothed comb every few days, plus a mat-splitter for stubborn knots.

That's the ASPCA's advice, and Cornell's Feline Health Center goes further: get your cat used to brushing and combing every day. Below is why a cat that grooms herself all day still needs your help, and how to make brushing something she accepts.

Why brush a cat that grooms herself?

Cats are serious groomers. A 2018 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences notes that house cats can spend up to 24% of their waking time grooming their coat.

All that licking has a cost. Cornell explains that as a cat grooms, she swallows a lot of the dead hair that has come loose. That swallowed hair is what comes back up as hairballs.

Brushing gets to the loose hair first. Cornell's guidance on older cats puts it simply: daily brushing or combing removes loose hairs before they can be swallowed and form hairballs.

It does good things for the coat as well. The ASPCA says brushing lifts out dirt, grease, dead hair and skin flakes, and stimulates blood circulation in the skin.

And it's a regular, hands-on look at your cat. The ASPCA suggests running your hands along her body during each session, checking for wounds, bumps, parasites and hidden tangles.

Why do long-haired cats need so much more help?

Here's the part that surprised the researchers themselves. A cat's tongue is a brush. It is covered in tiny backward-facing spines, and the PNAS team found that each spine is hollow at the tip, so it scoops up saliva and carries it into the fur.

Those spines are about 2.3 mm tall. For grooming to work, they need to press through the fur and reach the skin.

On a short-haired cat, they can. The researchers calculated that an American Shorthair's coat compresses down to about 1.2 mm under the tongue, well within reach.

A Persian's coat only compresses to about 2.6 mm. Of the 20 cats in the study, from house cats to tigers, the two Persian breeds were the only animals whose tongues couldn't reach their skin. The authors call them "ungroomable."

So a Persian or other long-haired cat can't fully groom herself, however hard she tries. Cornell notes that long-haired breeds such as Persians and Maine Coons are at significantly greater risk of hairballs than short-haired cats.

Which brush is right for my cat's coat?

Match the tool to the hair. This is what the ASPCA recommends for each coat type:

Coat	Tools	How often	Technique
Short hair	Metal comb, then a rubber brush	Once or twice a week	Head to tail, in the direction the coat grows
Long hair	Wide-toothed comb, plus a mat-splitter for stubborn knots	Every few days	Start at the belly and legs, combing gently up toward the head

The ASPCA singles out the rubber brush as especially effective at lifting dead hair from short coats. For long coats, both of the ASPCA's picks are combs.

Long-haired cats who live indoors shed all year round, the ASPCA notes, which is why their sessions come so much more often.

What about slicker brushes and deshedding tools?

Pet stores sell many more styles than the veterinary sources discuss, including slicker brushes with fine wire bristles and metal deshedding tools.

The ASPCA and Cornell pages we checked don't rank one style above another. They focus on combs, rubber brushes and regular sessions.

If you try a wire or metal tool, use light pressure and watch your cat's reaction. A session that feels good is one she'll let you repeat.

How do I deal with mats?

A mat is a tight clump of tangled fur, and long coats are most prone to them. They're worth catching early. An ASPCA veterinarian warns that even very mild mats can cause skin irritation, and mats around the hind end can trap feces.

Small knots can come out at home. The ASPCA suggests sprinkling a little talcum powder over a knot and teasing it apart gently with your fingers. If it won't budge, try a mat-splitter.

One rule matters more than any other here: never cut a mat out with scissors. The ASPCA is emphatic, because a cat can jerk without warning and the blade can cause a severe cut. Mats that have progressed need clipping by a groomer or vet.

If daily combing isn't possible, Cornell suggests a haircut at the vet or a reputable groomer once or twice a year. It's especially effective for long-haired breeds.

How do I get my cat to accept brushing?

Start young if you can. Cornell's advice is to get your cat accustomed to brushing and combing as a daily routine, and a kitten can learn that from the first week home. Put a comb on your new kitten checklist.

A few habits help at any age:

• Pick a calm moment, such as when she's sleepy after a meal or settled on your lap.
• Keep the first sessions very short. A few strokes, then stop while she's still relaxed.
• Begin where she already enjoys being stroked, and work up to the belly, legs and tail.
• Follow the direction the coat grows, as the ASPCA advises.
• Stop at the first sign of a twitching tail or flattened ears, and try again later.

Many cats come to enjoy it. If yours starts leaning into the comb, that's a good sign, and our guide to signs of happiness in cats shows what else to look for.

Does an older cat need more brushing?

Usually, yes. Cornell notes that older cats groom themselves less effectively than younger cats, which can lead to matted hair and skin odor.

The ASPCA agrees that regular brushing becomes especially helpful once a cat can no longer groom so meticulously on her own.

Call your vet promptly if your cat:

• is lethargic and refuses to eat for more than a day or so
• has repeated bouts of retching that bring nothing up
• has bald patches, wounds, lumps or parasites you find while brushing
• has mats close to the skin, around the legs or under the tail
• stops grooming herself, or her coat suddenly looks greasy or unkempt

The first two come straight from Cornell, which says not to delay. For more on when bringing something up is worth a call, see our guide on why is my cat throwing up.

Questions new cat parents ask

How often should I brush my cat?

The ASPCA suggests once or twice a week for short-haired cats and every few days for long-haired cats. Cornell recommends working toward a daily routine, especially for cats prone to hairballs.

Do short-haired cats need brushing?

Yes, though less often. Even short-haired cats swallow loose hair as they groom, and a weekly session with a comb and rubber brush lifts much of it out first.

Is it normal for my cat to bring up a hairball?

Occasionally. Cornell says a hairball once every week or two is not uncommon and nothing to worry about. Regular brushing means less swallowed hair.

What is the best brush for a long-haired cat?

The ASPCA recommends a wide-toothed comb, used every few days, with a mat-splitter for knots. If you can't keep up, Cornell suggests a haircut at the vet or a groomer once or twice a year.

Sources

• Cornell Feline Health Center: A Hairy Dilemma
• Cornell Feline Health Center: The Special Needs of the Senior Cat
• ASPCA: Cat Grooming Tips
• ASPCA: A Haircut Could Save a Life: Preventing Your Pet's Coat from Matting
• Noel AC, Hu DL. Cats use hollow papillae to wick saliva into fur. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own cat — they know the animal in front of them.

Choolip products are food supplements, not medicine. They are not intended to diagnose or manage any medical condition. If your cat has been diagnosed with a condition, their diet should be set by your vet.